A Gentle Breeze
by lilbabybao
Summary: Takes a look at a more mature view of your beloved Naruto characters set in modern day industrial Konoha. All rights are reserved to the original author and artist. I am only paying homage to my favorite pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**A Gentle Breeze: A Sasuhina Fanfiction**

**Chapter 1**

This whole situation is terribly awkward, thought Hinata to herself. The entire flight home from the trip had put her on edge. She tried so hard to make herself look busy typing away at the keys while listening to Naruto and his pedant looking companion snoring nearby in the roomy jet. She was too nervous to even sneak a peek at him but deep down she was hoping for a chance to glance at his slumbering profile as a memory keepsake.

Later on, a flight attendant cautions Hinata of the approaching landing. She could hear the attendant trying her best to wake up Naruto and his personal assistant, Udon. Bravely, Hinata quickly unmasks her uneasiness and slowly looks over at them smiling.

"Morn-ning everyone!" Naruto exclaims as he yawns and stretches his arms. "Whoa, we're here already. Traveling Hyuga style is way better than commercial by far any day." Hinata giggles and thought how Naruto has a way of putting anyone at ease. She starts packing up when the attendant returns with information about another scheduled aircraft landing right after theirs.

She inquisitively wonders if the other plane was one of the Hyuga Corporation's private jets and asks the attendant to attain information on the new arrival. This was Hyuga's Corp's private airfield that Neji just acquisitioned recently. "Who else could possibly have access to this place?" she pondered.

After the aircraft landed and parked, the three proceeded to exit. It was dark and chilly outside. Looking at her watch, she checked to make sure if it was on Konoha's time zone. It was 2:52 am. Maybe I could squeeze in one or two hours of sleep before going to the meeting, she thought. Hinata tugs at her thick white scarf tighter with her gloved hands sensing the winds strengthening as she walked closer to the next transport.

When they were about to reach the limo, the attendant from before intruded to inform Hinata that the approaching plane was in fact a Hyuga aircraft and was carrying one passenger by the surname of Uchiha. Recognition of said person stunned both as their eyes followed the plane landing on the brightly lit runway strip.

"You little obnoxious devil!" Naruto excitedly mumbled at the incoming airplane while waving his arm uncontrollably. He then turns toward Hinata and says in disbelief, "I can't believe this. That bastard, I better go and give him a warm welcome back. We'll catch a ride with him. You go on ahead home and get some rest. We had a long weekend." He said almost to the point of screaming and hurriedly due to the landing resonance.

"It was my pleasure. I will be sure to inform Neji of our queries." She said loudly over the incoming noise and trembling from the strong winds.

"Be careful going home, alright?" He pats her on the shoulders and gives her a warm sincere smile that has always been so endearing to her. He leans in closer to say "I'll be sure tell Sasuke and Sakura later that you said hi, alright?" She freezes from his sudden touch and blushes thinking of the proximity between them.

"That will be fine." She said meekly and politely bows her head as a sign of farewell. By the time she looked up, he was already running against the wind toward the parked adjacent plane with his assistant close behind. She stood there watching him greet his friend fervently and in his usual loud and cheeky manner.

She thought to herself how wonderful it must be to be cherished by Naruto and how she could never be a part of that close circle of friends he cares so much for. The winds were starting to pick up again which made it harder for Hinata to stay any longer.

"Good bye, Naruto." She said softly to herself. She enters the vehicle and doesn't look back. Sitting inside the spacious limo compartment alone, her fingers had already started to fiddle and her cashmere scarf was slowly absorbing her trickling tears and muffling her soft sighs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Beep."

"Beep."

Hinata looks at the number flashing and understands why the call came through on the cellular touch screen and taps the speaker-receiver option that was highlighted.

"Good afternoon, Neji." She calmly responded while an office staff associate places some tea on her desk. She nods and politely signals to all the staff present to adjourn and leave her office, afraid that the call was private or business related.

"Good afternoon, Hinata." He replied clearly in his usual stern manner. "You left the meeting early this morning so I didn't have a chance to talk to you" he added.

She was currently looking over the main tea house's books and making comparisons to past records to apply them to expenditure predictions with her departmental account managers. "I had some unfinished business to attend to. Is there something wrong with the reports I turned in on the recent project?" she asked worriedly. Usually these reports were drawn up by a team from every department of that particular division and they would research the area for about several weeks but she had to manage it in a one weekend period.

"No, no. I am very appreciative of what you did for my colleague and marketing sector. I called actually to request another favor." Hinata's eyebrows furrowed wondering what could possibly be the request coming from the President and CEO himself. The last favor was actually his ploy to have Hinata spend some time with her childhood crush usually masterminded by his beloved wife, TenTen. "I need you to perform a ceremony in my place for one of my clients."

Pensively, she wondered why he didn't just have his staff contact her staff and scheduled an appointment under her name. Neji's tea ceremony clientele were a small select list of people consisting of royalty, clan chiefs and distinguished affluent customers. Hanabi's on the other hand, had clients who were the majority Hyuga business related, corporate heads, and celebrities because of her position as VP and CFO. Both unlike herself, she was appointed (drum roll please) Director of the Tea Division. The main product and origins of the Hyuga family business before it became a financial conglomerate. All her life being overshadowed by her families' brilliant geniuses that Hinata never had a reason to build a clientele. To this day, the only requests under her name are her close friends: Lady Kurenai, Prof. Aburame, and Dr. KI.

"Hinata, this is not your usual tea ceremony." He continued. "This is a memorial service dedicated to an entire clan." She was still puzzled because usually clan heads dealt with Neji personally since he became the Hyuga clan's successor and head. Why he wasn't asking Hanabi was beyond her. Her sister was clever and charismatic which only made it harder to understand why he chose herself as a stand-in substitute. "This particular client isn't someone that I would offer to someone else but," he paused for a moment, "unfortunately due to my complex scheduling; I will be out of town that day and will not be able to attend. So, what say you?"

After a minute of silence had passed she finally came up with the right words to express to him. "It shall be my honor to perform in your stead, Neji" replied Hinata a bit apprehensive but strong. She could hear a faint sigh of relief from the other end of the receiver.

"Thank you, I owe you another one" cajoled Neji. Thinking over the situation, she felt that she owed him more than vice versa. "I'll have my secretary fax your office the necessary details of the appointment so that you may make arrangements. Well, I am off then. Again many thanks dear cousin" concluded Neji.

"No problem" replied Hinata gently. She lightly taps the end option on the screen and proceeded to drink her tea. Leaning back in her swivel chair, she savored the smell and taste of the familiar bitterness while backing the chair slowly toward the wide crystal clear translucent wall. Looking down toward the nearby parks, she noticed the overwhelming bright vibrant colors. "I better hurry up today before it gets too dark to enjoy the cherry blossoms this year" she thought to herself. "Work and no play will be the death of me someday" she giggled.

She returned to her desk and presses the intercom option to connect to the adjacent offices and says softly, "Reporting all department heads. Let's continue where we left off. Reassemble in 10 minutes." She continued looking over the mass of folders and charts on her desk. Somewhere behind all that math and accounts, she was still a little perplexed about her cousin's recent request.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"So?" asked TenTen inquiringly. She was already on puppy dog eye mode of attack, Hinata noticed. Hinata swallowed and felt her palms sweating from comprehending her cousin's request. Hinata frowns a bit embarrassed about the topic and turns toward the limo's window to avoid her cousin's inquisition. She noticed the cherry and plum blossoms all along the roads. They were beautiful in color and ethereal when they dance, she thought. To be a petal drifting along with the current, the thought was somewhat romantic.

Hinata sighs and slowly turns toward her confidant. Admitting defeat she cups TenTen's warm hands that were protectively shielding a very swollen belly. Avoiding the maternal eyes before her, she slowly began her confession, "The entire trip was completely professional."

"Why are you changing the subject? I was only inquiring about how you managed to enroll a certain Uchiha on the Rookies team for the Charity event?" she asked calmly. Hinata, on the other hand, was completely and utterly dumbstruck from disbelief.

She assumed that TenTen was questioning her about her trip but instead was only interested about something completely different. What Hinata didn't want anyone to know was that before Hinata left the island with Naruto, she had sincerely voiced her feelings toward him and was quickly rejected in the most polite and clumsy way possible. Her pride also did not allow her to cry in front of him. Before leaving the island, they promised to always be friends no matter what was said or done between them. But to Hinata, it felt like they were more distant than before. Just thinking about it made her sigh.

"Are you keeping him all to yourself?" TenTen accused Hinata suddenly in a mocking manner. Understanding that Hinata looked uncomfortable, TenTen deliberately changed the subject sensing her uneasiness.

"No, definitely not," she answered while nodding her head. Still confused at how this conversation was heading.

"You are hiding something," she accused again, "aren't you?" Hinata looked surprised but wondered if TenTen was fishing for information or purposefully trying to protect her healing heart. Ever since Hinata was introduced to TenTen as Neji's classmate when they were in middle school, Hinata noticed that sometimes TenTen went out of her way to shelter Hinata from others and from Hinata herself.

"I'll have to ask Lee. He must have added Sasuke on the list. This charity will be a huge turnout." Amazingly, Hinata had to agree. Every time Sasuke participated in these fundraisers, the donations practically poured in.

This particular baseball fund-raiser was for the local playgrounds and orphanages hosted by Hinata and Neji's friend Lee, who owns a quaint and old fashion curry restaurant. Lee was an orphan until his mentor adopted him and since then, has been an active advocate for the orphanage. Hinata in the past would on occasion volunteer her time. With that in common, they both started the baseball tournament that instantly became famous because the players were all of Konoha's most prominent men. The first couple of years were headlined by players such as the infamous writer, Jiraiya and the mayor himself, Mr. Sarutobi. Now the showcased players are comprised of mostly Neji's circle of friends.

At last, the limo stops in the garage of the hotel. Both are ushered in by the many lobby attendants awaiting their arrival. The avoidance of cameras and reporters has also been a precaution that Neji always secured for his lovely wife. They proceeded through the lobby and straight toward the huge elevator. Entering the enclosed box, made Hinata feel a bit claustrophobic but luckily TenTen was there to make the ride a bit more at ease.

"The Concierge earlier said that our group had arrived. This is unusual because we are usually the ones that are early," stated TenTen. "I hope the selections of confections are above expectations this year," she continued while smoothing her obi. Hinata giggled knowing that her cousin's cravings were lately leaning more toward the sugary side.

Since marrying into the Hyuga family, TenTen had to endure many hardships. She tackled them all face on, one by one like a boxing pro. Everything changed once she proved her worth when she became the Headmistress of the Hyuga compound. The economic and finance graduate changed the whole organization of the compound to run more efficiently and cost-effectively. By the end of her 1st year as Headmistress, the money saved went toward supplying all employees and staff with the latest PDA mobile, a new koi garden in the west wing, and an additional staff dwelling quarter. Since then, TenTen was acknowledged by all the Hyuga's clansmen as a praiseworthy wife to their heir. Hinata wasn't just proud of her cousin but loved her for her true self without the names or titles.

Upon reaching the destined floor, they were greeted by Temari and Ino coming from the entrance of the bar.

"Ladies." greeted Temari and planting each Hyuga cousin kisses. "Did I miss the memo on today's attire? I could understand TenTen because it's her usual look but for Hinata that's questionable?"

"What's the occasion, Hinata?" asked Ino after giving each one a hug. The retired blond model turned Master in the arts of flower arrangement, wondered why Hinata was dressed in one of her best kimonos. Since they both work in similar fields, Ino runs into Hinata on a regular basis and became accustomed to Hinata's fashion sense.

Before Hinata could answer, TenTen interrupted, "She has an appointment after this so we'll have to excuse her later for leaving early." TenTen knows how Hinata hates to be crowded sometimes and felt that it was her call to step in and help her. "Speaking of which, we better start the Program or none of us will have a gown to wear." She then turns toward the staff and asked if all the preparations were in order for them to enter their usual rented hall. With that said, several stylist assistants approached them with pamphlets about the Program and they continued down the corridor together.

The reason behind this Program was to provide a bit of entertainment for Konoha's high society females to bid on gowns from a collection of donated pieces from the most sought after designers. The Program was formed by Temari and TenTen after the first charity baseball game. They felt that the women needed some type of entertainment besides looking at sweaty men. The gowns were then worn at the Charity Ball hosted after the baseball event to award the winning team and to offer the check to the orphanages. Since then, Hinata and Lee have been grateful to these two because the donation from this program alone doubles the ticket sales of the game.

The two have been good friends since college. Both were competitive and strong-minded. Back then, Temari was head of the talent department of her family's business, The Sands Entertainment, while TenTen was CFO of the Hyuga Corporation. Then some years later, they both resigned once they were married. Now they are the wives to the two wealthiest men in Konoha.

Upon reaching the room, she was ushered to a beautiful Victorian plush chaise-lounge and a small table adorned with an abundance of rich assortments of confectioneries. This could only be TenTen's doing, thought Hinata. Hinata was the only one that sat because once they entered the hall the other three were immediately greeted by their acquaintances. She was offered a cocktail but refused knowing that after this, she had to work. Hinata couldn't help but noticing the number of people attending this year. It tripled in size compared to years before. In the noisy crowd, Hinata recognized Hanabi back in the far corner mingling with a more youthful crowd. It seems that the topic of conversation this evening was mostly about Sasuke Uchiha. The word going around the room was that the hottest and wealthiest bachelor in Konoha is back in town and playing in the charity game.

Hinata knows who he is but has never met him in person. Even though they had the same circles of friends, they never spoke to one another. She thought his dark appearance and quiet personality was unlike his friend Naruto and therefore never paid much attention to him. But one fascination did come to mind; she absolutely adored her ceremonial tea bowl that had the Uchiha trademark sealed at the bottom. The Uchiha name and clan is famous worldwide for their mastery in the art of ceramics. Unfortunately, there is only one surviving clansman left to carry on their name and art.

She remembered long ago how her father brought her to the Uchiha gallery to purchase her first tea bowl for her coming of age ceremony. From all the beautiful bowls on display there was one that spoke to her. It was a midnight blue with speckled swirls of white and light blue descending diagonally around until it reached a single plum blossom. To her, it looked like the wind was taking the lonely white blossom to a place where it will never be alone again and to be free from the darkness surrounding it. She had to plead to her father because he felt that the cup was too whimsical for the heir of the clan but eventually weeks later, finally allowed Hinata to return and purchase the whimsical tea cup. To this day, she had always pondered on who was the craftsman who produced such a beautiful creation.

The three missing eventually arrived at the chaise; plus one more: their friend Dr. Sakura Haruno, who everyone in their circle calls by her first name only. Sakura's mentor recently retired and named Sakura as the Director to the largest hospital in Konoha. Sakura was once the most devoted Sasuke admirer until she got into medical school that she grew out of her crush. Hinata felt that her childhood crush was somewhat of a hurdle for Hinata to let go. Maybe because Naruto's easy and warm personality has always looked like if you were to stand near him his warmth would shine on you too.

Sakura greeted Hinata with a hug, sat down and jubilantly declared to everyone sitting, "Since everyone is here, I want to make an announcement."

Slowly Sakura pulls out her clutch and retrieves a tiny jewelry sachet that produced a stunning diamond ring. She delicately adorned the ring on her tiny finger and flaunted the piece slowly around for all to see. "Ta-dah. Naruto proposed to me this morning…….." Sakura was still talking but Hinata was completely frozen from the shock and had blocked any information traveling from her ear to her brain.

Finally coming back from her moment of completely zoning out, she then heard Sakura say, "….I would like to have Hinata as my maid of honor. How about it, Hinata?" asked Sakura turning toward her anxiously. Hinata was completely taken off guard and not remembering where she left her brain in the first place.

"I would be delighted," she answered trying her best to look appreciative. Sakura hugged her tightly and whispered in Hinata's ears, "Thank you, you don't know how much this means to me and Naruto." Hinata also understood why she was chosen because she was the only one left in the group that was not married.

"Oh, you don't know how much it means to me," said Hinata but more sarcastically to herself mainly.

With that said and done, everyone in the group congratulated Sakura and was toasting and cheering all around. Then the program started with the MC introducing Temari and TenTen for hosting the charity event. Soon there were models walking down the elevated cat walk with numbers on there gowns. The pamphlets had information on each article shown and people writing down which dresses were their picks for the night. During the entire viewing, Hinata tried to look like she was paying attention. But felt that she couldn't sit there any longer. She stood up and politely excused herself from the group.

"Hinata, would you like me to call Neji and cancel your appointment?" asked TenTen who had followed the bewildered looking Hinata.

"No, I am fine," answered Hinata immediately. Having TenTen say the words needed to keep Hinata back on track, she felt that losing her professionalism was the last thing she wanted happening tonight.

With that they bid their farewells, TenTen returning to the program and Hinata standing alone in the elevator staring out the window watching the sun setting beyond the horizon and wondering if she will ever get to be near that kind of warmth that looks so distant now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The one day that Sasuke wished he could avoid at all cost was today; the Anniversary date of his clan's funeral. He was emotionally exhausted but felt that he had to pay tribute to his clansmen respectfully. He was running late like every year and knew that Neji was used to it. He was dressed in a tailored suit and felt stiff and rigid in the black attire and wished for this whole thing to be over with.

He had stopped at the cemetery earlier drinking some Louis XIII at his brother's grave. Upon arriving there, he noticed that all the Uchiha graves that passed away from the massacre was adorned with a single white rose. It has been years since anyone remembered the massacre or visited the Uchiha cemetery. He knew that none of his friends did it because he kept his annual mourning services to himself besides Neji but that guy was sworn to secrecy that he has keep all these years. The cemetery was taken care of by the local temple nearby where Sasuke always made sure that they were financially secured. He assumed that this year the monks must have felt like spreading their kindness and wealth.

As he parked his roadster in front of the abandoned compound, he noticed a white rolls coupe that had a Tinkerbell hanging from the rearview mirror and thought maybe Neji being a father had really changed his standards. For as long as they have been friends, he knew that Neji had distinct taste for the extravagance. His cars were big luxury automobiles and clean as if they have never been touched. That ornament to Neji, back in the day, would have been considered trash in his car.

Walking through the front door, he noticed that the place was strangely immaculate. He was now wondering if Neji did this. Normally, Neji would go straight to the ancestral hall and made preparations there. Never had he had the gall to clean the corridors of the compound. Again, Sasuke thought that fatherhood definitely changes a person. Having most of Konoha's female population lately invading his privacy, that he had to find more secure means for alone time. And at this moment, he wanted to kill Neji for being frivolous with the dough that he is about to cough up for this service and for the time spent with him. Because Neji does nothing for free. They have been friends since High School and Sasuke has always respected his senior and fellow clansman.

Upon reaching the next corridor, an envelope was awaiting him. It was addressed to him and sitting on a plant stand that used to be erected on the sides of the corridor as decoration. Now, Sasuke insisted that it wasn't fatherhood that changed Neji but that he had completely lost his marbles due to the stock market crashing. It was either curiosity or frustration that made him tear the papyrus envelope open. There was a note for him, the customer, to please make preparations in the second room on the left. No, it wasn't that he lost his marbles but maybe had gone mad because his wife forced that Tinkerbell on him, he thought and trying to come up with more sarcastic remarks. The calligraphy on the paper was softer compared to Neji's usual strokes that demanded instant attention. The flow of the strokes had a more gentle eloquence that must have been a female's. Again curiosity urged him toward the preparation room.

Inside the room was a tailored men's kimono and beside it was an authentic Uchiha haori that had the family crest proudly embroidered on the back and two smaller ones in the front. The family robes that he hasn't seen for as long as he can remember. The memories slowly began to flood his mind until each one started crashing onto the next which caused Sasuke to lose his footing and fell forward in front of the article of clothing. Still in awe, he finally gave Neji credit for completely changing his perspective on these mourning services.

While changing his clothes, he noticed that inside the haori was another envelope. Inside was a formal invitation inviting him to attend a tea ceremony out on the courtyard beyond the ancestral hall with his clan. Sasuke felt that at this point, he was going to raise his white flag and be apathetic to his host. He checked himself one last time in the mirror with his socks and sandals on and felt that he was presentable at least. Compliantly, he strode through the hallways toward the courtyard feeling nostalgic. The compound had been abandoned for so long that he noticed that it was in dire need of repairs. He also observed how his host had put much effort into clearing some of the overgrowth and painstaking efforts to make the compound look a little livelier. Sasuke pondered on how many employees Neji let enter his premises without his permission.

As he got closer to his destination, lit lanterns were hung along the path swaying back and forth bringing back memories of Uchiha clan assemblies during holidays. There were always huge festive banquets, dance offerings to the gods by clansmen, a fireworks display, and a large bonfire at the end. Even though he had forgiven Itachi, his elder brother, for the annihilation of the Uchiha clan due to undisclosed reasoning, he couldn't bring himself to live in that large vacant compound alone.

Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize that he had arrived at the courtyard. The palladium was surrounded by flickering lit candles; each candle with the names of the souls from that traumatic event. Or so it seemed, the candles were all halfway brunt and to his surprise, there was no host present. The large gazebo was brightly lit with larger sized lanterns lightly swaying and the usual tea ceremony necessities. He was exhausted emotionally from all of today's events that he didn't pick up the sounds of footsteps coming from behind.

"Please have a seat, dear customer," voiced by a soft spoken voice from behind.

Sasuke turned to meet a petite kimono clad female respectfully bowing her head and introducing herself. "Dear customer, please forgive me for my tardiness. My name is Hinata Hyuga and I shall be your host for tonight," stated Hinata. She went straight into the process of the ceremonial rituals. Sasuke was still standing and completely in shock. He was cursing Neji on his earthly whereabouts. Seeing that the said Hyuga was serious about this, he complied and sat down seiza style. He continued keeping an eye on the host just in case she was to jump up and started to undress herself and God knows what, he thought. Woman to him, were like animals on the prowl and he has been the prey for way too long.

Surprisingly, she was graceful at times but not perfect in the art like Neji. He noticed that she often paused and even her hands were shaking at times. She must be trying very hard to hide her uneasiness, he thought. Eventually, he let down his guard and drank the offered tea. Her tea had a strong fragrance and the bitterness was also strong but did not leave an after taste. He then offers it back to her and that's when he noticed the design on the cup.

Rage completely took over from recognizing the tea cup as he rushed toward her, scattering all the tea and utensils every where. He grabs her kimono collar menacingly, picks up the tea cup, and brought it to her face. "Where did you get this?" he asked in a very intimidating tone. Her eyes widened and completely shocked from the turn of events. She slowly lifts her left hand trembling and points toward the storage room in the far back. She was still unable to speak from fright.

"Who gave you permission to ransack my house?" he interrogated. He looked deep into her eyes, sensed her genuine fear and suddenly felt ashamed for what he had done to her.

She noticed that he was slowly loosening his grip and saw the opportunity to push him off her. She distanced herself from him and was wondering if she should run now that she had a chance. Finally being able to breathe, her breathing became hard and labored and she started losing all her senses. She could see flashing images of him coming toward her but eventually everything blacked out.

By the time she had awoken, she was blinking toward a white ceiling and felt her arm hooked up to an IV. The memories of the appointment came flooding back to her and she instantly sat up. Looking around the room she put two and two together. She had failed horribly last night and to boot he had brought her to the hospital. She was completely miserable. She felt that she was already a failure at love but now she is a failure at her profession too. She only wanted to make the Uchiha have a memorable day to remember due to his immense losses. She had researched on all of the Uchiha history books that could be found and went about implementing all that she learned toward the ceremony. The last thing she wanted to do was insult her patron.

She lied back and turned over. There she noticed an envelope perched on the table addressed to her. Again she instantly sat up. It got her attention because the calligraphy was astoundingly beautiful. The strokes were smooth and evenly. She reached for it and opened up the envelope. Inside the package contained several contents.

One was a written bill. It stated; services rendered are as follows: blowing out candles and packing them up, blowing out lanterns and packing them up, packing up ceremonial accessories and shipping them off, dry cleaning for 2 kimonos and shipping those off, toll-truck to toll back coupe, gas mileage cost for trip to hospital, medical expenses for one patient with mild case of malnutrition, exhaustion, and dehydration, and lastly one complete outfit stashed in your closet. Please deduct these from your bill.

The second one was another written bill. It stated; services rendered are as follows: 12 cases of candles, calligraphy ink, papyrus stationery, dry cleaning for one kimono, labor for cleaning, labor for decorating, one ceremonial tea service, lighter, gas mileage to and forth from place of service, tea preparation, tea misc., time spent waiting to serve tea, and lastly taking abuse from a complete jackass. Please add these to your bill.

The third piece of paper stated: The sum total for all services rendered after deductions would equal your payment. The forth was a check issued to Hyuga Corporations for such amount. Lastly, the fifth content was a Thank you/Apology note and a request to make an appointment for next year and a date for breakfast in the morning to make up for being a lousy customer. The note was sincerely signed and enclosed with a contact number.

She sighed in relief and lied back down. She wasn't even thinking about where her kimono was or where he dumped her coupe. She wasn't thinking about being a failure anymore. She wasn't even thinking about Sakura and her upcoming wedding. She slowly let the exhaustion take over her body, closed her eyes and recalling a memory from long ago, when she was training the tea ceremony rituals, her father had once told her "be careful where you place your hand Hinata, you might get burnt."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Let me get this straight, you don't know who Hinata is?" asked Neji incredulously. He was loosening his tie and removed it from his collar.

Sasuke was lying on his back on the bench while one hand was throwing a baseball and the other catching it with a mitt. "Frankly," he pauses, contemplates, and then answers, "No." Nods his head and continues his ball routine.

Neji was confused because he was thinking, "How can you not?" He walks over toward Sasuke and steals the ball as it was descending. Walks slowly away with it baffled by the answer and reminded Sasuke, "My cousin." He then turns around and throws the leathered ball back.

Quickly he gets up and catches the ball. "She's a Hyuga, please give me some credit," answered Sasuke mockingly who quickly returns it.

Neji reaches up with his padded glove to intercept the spherical ball flying above him. "My wife's good friend," he implied and pitches it back.

"Then that would make them cousins," replied Sasuke sarcastically as he retrieves and sends the object back.

"Sweet, innocent, and quiet girl that went to middle school with you," hinted Neji as he jumps up to reach for the projectile baseball. He was about to throw it when the door opens up and in walks Naruto and Kiba.

"Who is sweet, quiet and innocent?" asked Naruto curious about what the two were talking about. He puts his arms around Sasuke and speculates pointedly to Neji whispering, "Your mistress?" Neji's eyebrows lifted from annoyance and he felt that this conversation was over. He went back to his locker and continued changing into his uniform.

"From middle school," reflected Kiba, "than that could only be Hinata." He was walking around looking for his name plate.

Sasuke was surprised because dog boy over there became a famed dog whisperer at a young age and traveled most of his life showcasing his talents how can he be able to remember someone here when Sasuke himself can't recall her. "You weren't even here most of the time during middle school," Sasuke reminded him.

"Oh, that's because I attended High School with her and Shino when I was working in London," answered Kiba. Finally, he locates his locker and searches for the usual good luck charm that Hinata makes for each participating player every year. "Look, she makes these thingies for us every year. It doesn't make sense though since there are two teams and I guess she wants a tie," stated Kiba thinking how silly Hinata can be sometimes.

"Man, I love these things. Aw, she's so sweet. Sakura always steal mines after the game," noted Naruto who also excitedly started hunting for his charm.

Curiously, Sasuke looked all over his locker for the said charm but nothing more was to be found. Sweet my ass, he thought to himself. He was still peeved that she stood him up for breakfast that day, mailed back the clothes he bought her, returned half of his payment, sent a fruit basket as an apology for the fact that she was only a one time substitute and refused to acquire her boss' client, and lastly mailed back the haori. The haori that he paid to be cleaned by a kimono specialist and then had it shipped to her as an apology and in return she mailed it back as a thank you for all his kindness with specific directions of how and where to store the article of clothing in his storage room. As he rolled eyes from frustration, he could hear the rest of the team slowly coming in.

He admitted that he was in the wrong when it came to what he did at that mourning service and now he must have been cursed by his clansmen for treating his host so cruelly. Out of all the wares in the storage, she had to pick his most prized procession. The first bowl that his father complimented him on and the one bowl where he felt he was on par with his brother the genius. After the funeral, he stored away everything hoping to lock away all the memories that were too painful for an adolescent to handle alone. In one night, that person unearthed all those memories that he wished to never revisit.

As each newcomer located their lockers, he could hear all of them talk about Hinata this and Hinata that. "Strange, suddenly she's everywhere," thought Sasuke. Was he the only person in the room who didn't know who she was? As he continued listening, he found out that she ordered their uniforms, prepared all their lockers, made onigiris, prepared refreshments, and lastly the person who co-founded this charity game. "Where the hell had he been? Was she invisible?" thought Sasuke to himself.

Once in awhile someone would come and pat his back to greet him but he was too pensive in thought about this mystifying person that he completely ignored them. Since he was already dressed he went outside for a breather. Maybe then he can recall a sweet, innocent, and quiet middle school girl.

As he left the locker room, he walked through the hall toward the dugout while stretching his arms. Suddenly he halted; there she was running toward him from the out field. "Shit," he said out loud and ducked in the first door that would open. It was a small vacant room and looked like an employee staff meeting room of sorts. There were chairs and a table so he quickly sat down. He thought, "What the hell am I doing?" He frantically couldn't understand it himself. Picked up a newspaper and tried to look busy just in case said woman entered. He snickered and thought that he has never felt this much fear in his life towards a woman before since his mother.

Sasuke finally decided that he wasn't going to hide anymore. As he put down the paper and tried folding it back to its original shape, there right in front of him was a kid. The little boy had to be about 5 or so, Sasuke thought. Sasuke looked around the room and wondered what he was supposed to do with it.

The boy finally spoke, "Hey, you wanna play some cards?" Sasuke felt that this was like those moments in the movie where you knew the guy was about to get swindled.

"Sure." Why not, he thought. Maybe a game of cards could free his mind of that person.

The kid started to shuffle the cards. "So, what are we playing?" asked Sasuke.

"For money."

Sasuke pointed at him and asked, "Do you have money?" He was thinking that kid must be a pro at hustling.

"No, but I have a baseball card that Uncle Lee gave me." As he was trying to get the card out his pocket, the door burst open and Lee runs in dressed in the opposing team's uniform followed by Hinata and what looks like the rest of his team from behind. The little boy was crying in Lee's arms. Everyone thanked Sasuke for taking care of the little boy and explained how they had lost the boy while ushering the kids in their seating arrangements. All the familiar faces in the team, pats Sasuke on the back and returned to their side which left Hinata and Sasuke in the small room.

Hinata bows her head quickly and tried to escape but Sasuke seizing this moment blocked the door. "We haven't been formally introduced. My name is Sasuke Uchiha," he said while offering his hand. He felt that it was time they made amends.

The devil incarnate is right in front of me, Hinata thought. She wasn't sure if she should shake his hand. She was hoping life would continue like before their meeting. All morning all she heard was Sasuke this and Sasuke that from all her girlfriends. The rumor buzzing around town was that Sasuke had two formal his and her kimonos cleaned and it was straight from the kimono specialist herself. Due to client privacy, Hinata couldn't even clear the rumor up. Now everyone thinks that Sasuke has a lover and unbeknownst to all, she was the owner of said kimono. At this point, she really had enough of him and could do without his presence being there.

"Well?" asked Sasuke becoming a bit impatient with the woman that has been occupying his mind the last week.

"Hinata Hyuga. It is a pleasure but I must excuse myself for I am needed elsewhere," replied Hinata hurriedly. She bowed her head again and left promptly. Escape by all means was her final thoughts as she left the hallway.

"No, the pleasure is all mines," he said out loud to himself smiling. He was thinking that for once in his life, a woman had finally peaked his interest. The first time he had remembered the opposite sex's first and last name. She was the first female who would rather escape than to be in his presence. He never knew that a woman like that existed till now.

Suddenly Naruto appears at the door and said, "Hey, you forgot your good luck charm." He throws the strange object at Sasuke who instantly grabs for it. "Thanks," he replied and with that said Naruto walks away. The charm was a small baseball shirt with his surname and number embroidered on one side and good luck on the other side with a tassel loosely hanging from it. He then ties the charm on his belt buckle and stretches his arms one last time.

He walked outside to the dugout with his mitt and looked out onto the diamond. He thought that spring this year inspired hues of white, slight blue lines, and hints of pink. He was going to design some wares once all this charity benefit was over. He closed his eyes and let the gentle breezes surge past him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"I heard about your loss," sympathized Gaara. Gaara and his brother saw Naruto and Sasuke sitting outside on the balcony and decided they would join in on their misery.

"Come on, Gaara. Not you too," whined Naruto. He was taking the beating harder than anyone else on the Rookies team. And he didn't want sympathy coming from the past soccer captain from Suna High, who creamed Naruto's school all three years ending any hope of Naruto's soccer dreams.

"I'm not surprised because the Flames had Shikamaru and Shino. They were known in college as the Chess Kings on campus," interjected Kankuro. "I can't believe you guys lost even with Sasuke and Neji as your battery."

"Don't forget about me," Naruto added indignantly. "I scored the last point for our team evening the score in that last inning. Doesn't that account for anything" He couldn't believe how they lost by two points when Neji was trying to get Sasuke toward the last inning to pull for a tie and get them all out with the bases loaded but loss due to Lee's spontaneous dexterousness of a weak bunt.

Listening to them talk only made Sasuke emotionally riled up again. Sasuke got up from his chair and decided to find some type of entertainment as an outlet for his disappointment. He left the guys on the balcony and preceded into the Country Clubhouse that Neji rents for this occasion every year for the spacious ballroom. It was late and the awards and checks were already presented and all the orphans were sent home with bundles of goodies.

The much talked about highlight of the night occurred after the presentations, was when Lee downed a glass of champagne after he made a toast to the two teams. It took all of the players of both teams to refrain him from further destruction of the orchestra, their instruments, the stage, the lighting and sound equipment, and the hired MC. Luckily this year, Neji bought insurance on poor Lee so that Neji can go home stress free to a moody, saccharine craving, and very pregnant wife.

He strode past through the crowded ballroom but couldn't locate a particular midnight blue mane. He wondered if she would be dressed in a kimono similar to the golden koi embroidered one from their first encounter or still wearing the cardigan pleated dress with matching sweater from earlier today. He wondered if she had her hair up or down. Would she be daring in a strapless or coy in a shawl? Then finally he thought is this the beginning of what they consider signs and symptoms of a stalker.

His latest fascination was no where to be found amidst the ballroom so he proceeded to enter the foyer. Looking up toward the ascending stairway, he saw a glimpse of a white tulle dress swiftly climbing the staircase. He quickened his pace in his black tux squeezing through the crowds and then skipping several steps at a time climbing the red carpeted stairs. He hoped that the owner of the white dress was a certain Hyuga that refused his company, hand shake, and stares today. So, this is what it feels like to be on the other end of the cat and mouse chase. And for all it's worth, he was enjoying it.

He wondered if the appeal was somewhat similar to magnetism. It would explain how every time he was near her, she would automatically repel against him. So in theory, all he had to do was change her polarity to exert a pull toward him. So, by what means do you go about getting someone, not of the ordinary, to make you the center her attention.

His usual methods of charming the ladies were null and void against her strong resistance against him. All day after the somewhat formal introductions, he would try to intentionally con his way in a conversion among her and her companions but each time she would whittle her way out leaving him with her companions, who happen to be from the female race and happen to be attracted to him. He sighs. It seemed like his charming good looks were of no worth in her eyes. His family name and heritage could be equivalent in fame and just as respected as hers. His wealth could be comparable to her net worth. You can't lavish gifts to a person who has access to any material possession. You can't play the role of the hero if the other person doesn't notice your existence. "What other methods are there?" thought Sasuke.

Upon arriving on the landing, he lost sight of the snow colored gown. Walking along the corridor, he continued to hunt his prey by looking in the rooms down the hall. Two thirds down the passageway, he wanted to call it quits and retire home to continue working on his designs toward the ceramic wares he contemplated earlier. He already had an idea of how he wanted it etched and glazed by combining glossy smooth and coarse texture.

As he was about to turn around, he heard a faint sound. As he walked closer to the sound, he could recognize the beat and voice. It was Mizuki Nana if he recalled correctly. It was from Naruto's favorite anime due to the manga's artist and writer. He couldn't call to mind the title but remembering how Naruto made him watch the entire anime in one night when the DVD released eventually made him become familiar with the song.

He stole a quick peek inside and confirmed that the white fluff of a dress was definitely owned by a particular tea hostess. He just couldn't believe that Hinata was into something like that. Was she a closet otaku unlike Naruto who is like an open book for all to see? He peeked again through the slightly opened door to witness a Hinata huddled on the floor near a fireplace that shelved an ipod speaker. The room was dark and the only light was the moonlight streaming through the open window in front of her. She was embracing the rushing winds charging through the casement and causing the sheer panels to cascade in a liquidly manner. It sounded like she had it on repeat because the song came on again. "Note to self, Hinata likes Mizuki Nana" noted Sasuke. She had taken off her heels and was stretching her legs. She was wearing a strapless pearl beaded fitted bodice with full multi layered tulle skirt accentuated with scattered beaded embroidery designs. Her hair was swept up neatly in a tight chignon above her head.

The way she was sitting made him think of the Tinkerbell in her Rolls Royce. She suddenly shifted her sitting and brought her knees closer wrapping her arms around the abundance of tulle and leaned her chin on her knees. She must have been deep in thought and he noticed the sudden smile on her face. Utterly ethereal were the words he would have used to express that scene. He retrieved his cell from his jacket's inner pocket and snapped a picture of the angelic figure before him. That must have caught her attention because she gradually turned toward his direction and asked, "Who's there?"

"The cats out the bag," thought Sasuke.

He opened the door further, walked in and turned on the light. "Oh sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here. I was only looking for a place to take a break. Again, sorry to disturb you. I'll leave you to your music," said Sasuke who was trying to play it off as coincidental. He walked out and was waiting to see if she would intercept him if he left. Unfortunately she didn't when he checked back. Instead she stood up and turned off her ipod. Sasuke snickered thinking that his opponent is incredibly strong.

Suddenly her telephone rang and she dug in her clutch for it. She turned it on speaker and answered, "Hello, Neji. Is something wrong?"

"Hinata, we are on our way to the hospital. I've made arrangement for your transportation. He should be there soon to pick you up. I apologize for leaving you there but one thing led to another and ….."

"Hinata, there is no rush."

Sasuke quit eavesdropping when TenTen came on and instantly found his enormous window of opportunity. He sped down the hall, jumped on the railing and slid down like he was a trained assassin trying to make his escape. By the time he made it to the bottom, he bowed like a magician who was accepting his standing ovation due to curious eyes at present. Everyone in Konoha was used to seeing the Uchiha do his vanishing acts when it came to the ladies but unbeknownst to them, was the reasoning of his pursuit. He then continued running through the hall toward the main entrance, screamed his number at the nearest parking attendant and rushed down the stairs. Stood for three minutes and low and behold his beloved Aston Martin pulled up. Tipped the guys with whatever monetary means was in his wallet and informed all of them that he was the escort prepared for Ms. Hyuga.

Sure enough, all the guys played the role perfectly well and even ushered her in his passenger seat. She saw Sasuke and nodded as if understanding the situation. As she was getting all the tulle to fit in the sports car, the attendant closed the door and told her to have a safe trip meanwhile winking at Sasuke. Hinata was buckling when Sasuke noticed her shawl. "Daring yet coy," said Sasuke.

"Hmm."

"Oh, nothing," answered Sasuke innocently. As he drove off, he noticed the limo approaching the golf estate gates.

"Hinata, could you hand me that thing in the glove compartment," asked Sasuke deviously and pointing somewhere in that direction. "Yea, that one," he answered her when she opened the compartment.

She reaches in and found the charm that she made for him. She bought it closer and noticed that it was very dirty. She started dusting it. She had to do a rush job on it because Lee added Sasuke late and started noticing the little mistakes that she made for the embroidery.

Sasuke saw her holding it and came up with an idea, "Could you hang it on my rearview mirror." He nonchalantly played it off as if he intentionally wanted it there.

"It not very pretty," answered Hinata hesitantly. She was happy to hear that he liked it but wasn't sure if she wanted to see her mediocre handicraft to stand out in his posh car.

"I think it's a cute ornament." He took it from her hands and hung it.

Hinata kept staring at it which made him think about what Naruto said about Sakura stealing Naruto's charm every year.

"How about this? Since you look hesitant about displaying it in my car, why don't you keep it as a memento of today's game. Even though we lost, the dirt on the charm definitely shows our fighting spirit," encouraged Sasuke. He took it off the mirror and handed it to her.

She was still looking at it. A moment of silence passed and suddenly she replied, "I will. Thank you, Sasuke." When he looked over at her, she was still looking at the charm and smiling so sincerely that he almost forgot that he was driving and where to.

All that hard work and scheming for one simple smile, made all his efforts worthwhile, knowing that he was the reasoning behind the smile.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Hinata."

She could hear someone calling her in the distant. She was at the moment having a tea party with Mr. Rabbit who happened to be big, fluffy, and white and wearing a baseball shirt. Mr. Rabbit was offering his hand as if he wanted to take her somewhere. She held on to the offered hand while his other arm circled her waist to lift her up. She felt light and heard Mr. Rabbit mumbling something which made her giggle. She smiled thinking that Mr. Rabbit smelled like summer. The scent was similar to vanilla or almonds. His soft, warm and plush fur was so inviting that she nuzzled herself in his chest.

Upon reaching the Labor and Delivery waiting room, Sasuke was stunned to see most of the Hyuga clan sitting in the room looking at him. Its strange how everyone looks so much alike, thought Sasuke.

"Why is this image so hard to stomach" said Neji from behind Sasuke. Sasuke turned around to face him and noticed the corner of Neji's lips was twitching. This was rare because his senior was the most composed person he has ever met even through High School. Neji was still dressed in his formal suit with the exception of the bow tie.

"Look I just offered my services to escort your cousin to the hospital. That is all and since she fell asleep," explained Sasuke but he was cut off by Neji.

"Then why didn't you bring her home?"

"Huh?"

"Sasuke, I would like to think better of you. Please take her home for me. She had already exerted all of energy this week on the preparations of today's events that I made arrangements for her to return home. TenTen would be relieved knowing that Hinata was well rested and taken care of," said Neji.

"Right," he answered. Puzzled about the entire conversation, he walked back toward the elevators.

"Oh Sasuke, at this moment I don't want to know what led to this but I am warning you now. As your close friend, my cousin's heart will not be that easily swayed. You will come to find out about that sooner or later," warned Neji. "Her heart has been suffering for so long that it doesn't know how to be loved." With that said, he walked away.

Sasuke pressed the elevator button with his feet and waited for the doors to open. He stood there wondering what Neji was talking about. As the doors open, he stepped in and faced the reflected image on the doors as it closed. It looked like he was carrying his bride over the threshold. Maybe this could explain why Neji was acting strange. The image of him in a black tux and Hinata in a big white dress put a smile on Sasuke's face. Not that he was ready for marriage but that the well known bachelor of Konoha definitely met his match today.

Somehow he managed to carry her back toward his car. As he opened the door, he noticed that this is the second time that he had to stuff a light yet heavily garmented Hinata into his passenger seat. She was sleeping so soundly and Sasuke was amazed that she never once woke from that entire track up the hospital. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her and his hands just briefly brushed her cheeks. Her skin was like a porcelain doll, he thought. For once in his life, he wished to posses her heart and for her to return these strange feelings he felt for her.

Maybe what Neji warned him was the reason why Hinata had at all possible opportunity to deny him of his masculinity. What could be the reason for her suffering heart? What made her suffer for so long that she wouldn't know how to be loved? Sasuke was afraid to find out because the possibilities were endless. What could be safeguarding her afflicted heart? Was she gay? No, no, he thought. It is futile to be coming up with possibilities like this.

As he drove her home, he remembered earlier how she accepted the charm he offered. Afterwards, she told him that he was the first one out of all these years who offered her the charm that she made. She explained how she had always envied her girlfriends the day after the game that would carry the charms as accessories on their handbags or cell phones. She guessed that because she was the producer of the good luck charms that no one had ever thought that she would have liked to have one offered back to her too. At that moment, Sasuke smiled thinking that he did very, very well. But unbeknownst to him was that she was hiding the most envious part of all, was watching Sakura wearing Naruto's charm every year. The only charm she had put forth the most effort into and to the point of perfection.

As he drives up toward the Hyuga compound gates, she stirred for a bit and said in her sleep very softly, "Naruto." Sasuke thought that she must be dreaming about something funny if it had his best friend in it. He was welcomed by the guards at the gates and was asked to drive toward the back where the parking garage was located.

Several attendants came to welcome them and for the second time today he carried Hinata out of his roadster. Again she nuzzled against him which made him smile thinking that she could be so cute when asleep. He was then ushered toward her room by the staff. Upon entering, he felt that something was strange but he couldn't pinpoint it. Her room was spacious and immaculate. He placed her on the bed with his jacket still wrapped around her.

He gently took off her heals and then tried to loosen her chignon as best as he knew how. As he placed the bobby pins on her dresser he saw an open drawing pad with a certain familiar profile staring back at him. He thought the sketch was very detailed especially the shading. He began to flip through the leaflet hoping to see if he was in there but instead noticed they were all of the same faces and that's when he realized what was troubling him when he entered her room.

It was the many subtle faces of Naruto staring at him as he looked around the room. There was a framed picture of him smiling on her dresser from when he graduated college. As he walked toward her desk there was a smaller framed one of Naruto from when they went on a senior trip to DisneyJapan. On the shelf there was another framed picture of Naruto from elementary school wrapping his arms around an unwilling Sasuke but the only thing left of him on the picture was half his face staring menacingly at Naruto.

As he discovered more memorabilia's of Naruto, he felt a rage inside that he couldn't understand. He was confused from what he unearthed. All he wanted to do was to break every single photo of his cheeky friend. He wanted complete destruction of all the things that had any reference to the blond idiot. He quickly left the room and wanted to be far away from this discovery as possible.

As he drove off, he was so upset that he didn't know how to settle it. Why did it have to be Naruto? He kept asking himself that. His one rival, whom he hated and befriended, was the center of her attention. The reason why she never pulled toward his magnetism was that her polarity was pulled else where. How could he have overlooked such thing as a rival? Not just anyone, but his annoying and unrelenting friend.

All these unfamiliar emotions surged through him, causing him to pull the car over and practically rushed out to vomit. It was like his body was trying to release this ugliness building up in him. He was disgusted with himself for feeling envious, resentfulness, jealousy, possessiveness, and on and on. Slowly he stood up and looked out over the empty road and screamed, "Iiiiiddddddiiiiiiiiooooooottttttt!!!!!" He leaned on the road's railing breathing hard and exhausted. He closed his eyes and all he could sense were the strong winds rushing past him, wailing in the distance and rustling the nearby trees. He wanted the wind to take along with them all these difficult emotions.

The always cool and stoic Sasuke had once again been trumped by a woman who was so far from his reach.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"And finally the Health Nut salad with extra nuts and tomatoes on the side for the lady," announced the waitress to the three patrons sitting at her table and placed the large bowl of mixed greens and nuts and one saucer of small cherry tomatoes before Hinata. "Please enjoy your meals, guys," concluded the waitress and left.

Shino and Hinata planned a 'going away' get together for Kiba. Both Shino and Kiba were vegetarians, so the selections of restaurants were limited. Kiba was returning to America to continue filming his show "Dr. KI: The Dog Whisperer." The producers felt that his name was too hard for people to pronounce and Kiba only wanted his first name to be used by his family and friends. So, the show's producers, execs and Kiba compromised on his initials. Kiba was fine with it because ki is his name's first character.

Hinata had known the two men since elementary school but didn't become good friends until Hinata attended school in England. Her father thought that she should gain some new and challenging experiences and branch out from the protective wings of Neji and TenTen. She was sent to live with Lady Kurenai, a good friend of the family, who is very kind and ended up being more protective and maternal than TenTen.

Shino's grandparents resided in London and asked to have their favorite grandson visit for the summer before he attended High School. When he finally reached England, he fell in love with the scenery and asked his parents if he could be placed there permanently. Personally Hinata felt that it was more toward the different species and genera of insects that resided there. As for Kiba, he was filming a show in London at the time called "Talk to me" that was aired on the animal network and was a hit in Europe. And that's how Shino, Kiba, and Hinata, three kids from the same hometown coincidentally went to the same school in a different country.

"When did you separate your tomatoes," asked Kiba.

"Oh, I'm visiting the fields today and I always bring a variety of tomatoes to the director and his wife. They love tomatoes," replied Hinata.

"Even when they work in the countryside?" asked Kiba.

"I'm not sure but I heard that one of their neighbors is a savant and expertise on tomatoes and I heard that he could tell apart the different types of tomatoes when he samples a bite of it," answered Hinata. "So the director of the fields has always asked me to bring different tomatoes to stump his foe since I come in from the city."

"That's the funniest thing I have ever heard," stated Kiba and all three began to laugh.

They continued talking until it was time for Hinata to begin her drive to the countryside and she left them to continue their male bonding. Hinata always loved the drive to the tea fields. She could remember the first time her father bought her and Neji to visit the fields. From a distant, Hinata thought the sectioned fields looked like an army of snakes slithering in unison in different companies. The green tea fields has recently been restructured by Neji to be a tourist attraction which made the place more livelier with simple landscaping, long winding trails, and a small tea house for patrons to try the fresh tea.

Hinata needed this break. She had been working long hours to make up for the weeks leading to the charity events. It's been about three weeks since the baseball game and Hinata still haven't heard from Sasuke. She still had his jacket and charm and left him voice mails but none were returned. She wanted to ask him what happened that night. From what she investigated from the house staff and her chauffer nothing seemed to make sense especially what her cousins and friends informed her about that blurry night.

Neji threatened that he didn't want to witness that matrimonial scene again. TenTen told her about how Sasuke carried her to the hospital and then home but she didn't witness it but heard from the other clansmen's families. Ino still couldn't stop talking about the poor girl who Sasuke was trying to run away from at the clubhouse. Nothing seemed to add up. All she remembered was drinking about two glasses of champagne and by the time she awoke, she was on her bed wearing a tux jacket and holding onto Sasuke's charm. Did I drink more than two glasses, thought Hinata.

She drove past the gates and slowed down, trying to find a shade to park her car. When she entered the building of the Hyuga Tea Field's main entrance and office, she was informed that the director was out and won't be back until late. She had the staff help her carry in the tomato crates she bought earlier that morning at the farmer's market for the director and since he wasn't in Hinata took this opportunity to take a look around the fields.

She changed into her usual lightweight white coveralls with the Hyuga logo, tennis shoes, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, adorned a baseball cap with the family crest and packed up a towel and bottled water. Since Neji, Hinata and Hanabi come here often, they have their own lockers and uniforms. Hinata has always preferred the coverall rather than the lab coats that the others preferred. One of the staff offered her some types of transportation to navigate through the vast fields: golf cart, scooter, bike, or truck. She opted for the bike. Maybe a bit of fresh air and exercise could be relaxing, she thought.

She rode through the fields randomly stopping to check the vegetation and equipment. Somehow every time she comes here, she feels so at eased that she didn't have to think about the mass of papers on her desk, how the main, local, and abroad tea houses were managing, think about the upcoming wedding that she's been dreading, and a specific Uchiha that has been occupying her mind since their first encounter. He was like an enigma to her. He could be cruel one minute and sincere the next. He could be sarcastic one moment and charming later on. He was a walking; talking contradiction but mostly Hinata has always thought that there was a condescending air about him since childhood. "Ah, what am I doing? I am thinking about him again," thought Hinata.

She stopped at the tea house and greeted the manager there. They talked for awhile about the newest technological updates that were added recently. He then noticed her bike and informed her about the new trails that have been in construction for tourist in the nearby district. He thought that if Hinata was here from a bit of fresh air then she should try that route and still have time to come back before it becomes dark. She then left and started her adventurous cycling trip.

When she was younger, her father would never allow her to ride a bike. When a very young Naruto found out that she didn't know how, he came over almost everyday to sneak in a lesson until her father discovered Hinata's defiant act that he took her out of that elementary school. She wasn't reunited with him until Middle School but by then he had already forgotten all about her. She still owed him for the insane lessons he offered and grateful that she was able to learn from those bizarre teachings.

He mostly did strange stunts in the back of the compound that used to be a tennis court. He would build ramps out of things that he found at the dump. And whenever he bought a friend, they would forget her existence and compete over the littlest things like who could ride faster, who would fly further, and who was stronger. Recalling these memories were always very dear to her because he was the first one ever to recognize her existence no matter how much time was spent with him she cherished all of them.

Back then no one would play with him because they didn't know anything about his background or heritage. He had a large sum of money as an inheritance from an anonymous beneficiary and had to live according to the criteria of the inheritance. Everyone assumed that he was an illegitimate child to an affluent person. He lived in a large western style mansion all by himself beside the hired help. Parents warned their kids to stay away from him when he was just a lonely kid and only wanted to be acknowledged by someone. He never looked sad or mentioned how lonely he was but Hinata understood the loneliness he suffered.

By middle school, she noticed that he was always outspoken about his love for Sakura and Sakura in turn was always following Sasuke. That automatically made Sasuke his rival. She was happy to see that he finally made a friend that took away his loneliness. With all that in mind, she had kept her admiration for Naruto to herself. Never once did she think that she had a chance with him. She was just happy to see him everyday at school, bumping into him out and about town, or attending all his sport events. By the time she left to study aboard, she thought that she could forget him. But because Kiba went back and forth from England to Konoha that she was always updated on the latest news in Konoha which were usually about Naruto. Like how he scaled the side wall of the school to see who was fastest when it came to ninja skills against Sasuke. That only made her heart yearn more for him.

As she was riding along the road to the next district, a truck was slowly driving by her. She waved at the driver because the people from the area were usually friendly. The driver didn't wave back but Hinata for a moment there thought that he looked very much like Sasuke. "No, no. It can't possibly be him. I must find a way to stop thinking about him like this," thought Hinata.

What she thought was actually reality. Sasuke was just driving home from the market for his monthly groceries. When he noticed her, he exclaimed, "What the hell! Now I think all Hyuga staffers look like her." He had been avoiding everyone since that incident and had holed himself up at the pottery studio that his family owned out in the country. He had worked himself to the bones but couldn't be satisfied with any of his finished arts. He dabbled with wood and porcelain. He attempted adjusting different temperatures on the kilns but couldn't find the right depth he was looking for. For once as an artist, he was experience maybe an artist's block or he couldn't just find the right suitable designs that expressed the feelings he was experiencing.

As he turned onto his driveway, he noticed a parked sports car. He recognized it instantly and was about to reverse when Naruto came flying out of no where onto his hood. Sasuke ended up parking his truck with an annoying hood ornament.

"Sasuke, where the hell have you been?" asked Naruto. "Man, you disappeared right after that railing slide. It was so awesome, that we all took turns until the golf club president stopped us." Sasuke kept ignoring his friend hoping that he would just disappear from here like how he suddenly appeared. He slowly started to unload his truck until Naruto grabbed his arm and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Do you really wanna know what's bothering me?" asked Sasuke in a threatening tone. He removed Naruto's hand and continued with his groceries toward the house. Naruto was seriously offended. He had been looking all over Konoha for the jerk and finally remembered the Uchiha studio on the outskirts of town. He was worried and now seeing his MIA friend realized that something must be bothering him because his attitude was just like when his family died. Suddenly Sasuke felt a kick from behind causing him to land on top of his eggs and baked goods. "You underhanded prick," he screamed at Naruto and got up, turned around, and rushed toward him encircled his hands around Naruto's neck with the ruined food on his t-shirt.

"You are the assh," hollered Naruto but was cut short due to Sasuke's grip on his neck. They both fell down causing Sasuke to lose his hold. Naruto took this opportunity to punch him in the face with his right hand sending Sasuke staggering backward holding on to his bleeding nose.

"You mother f," mumbled Sasuke and he was cut short because Naruto was ramming toward Sasuke head on like a footballer on defense which threw Sasuke against the side of Naruto's silver Maserati. Sasuke's nose and back was hurting badly but managed to collect enough momentum to produce an underhanded punch targeting his friend's stomach. Naruto was howling from the tremendous pain in his guts and slowly was wobbling backward.

They continued attacking each back and forth until they were both lying on the dirt tired from exhaustion. Having released some of his pent up tension, Sasuke finally stated in defeat, "You stole my angel."

"You don't even like her in that way," replied Naruto confusedly.

"No, not that one. You actually don't even know that you did that to me," said Sasuke sadly.

"Hey I didn't shift one or two of your marbles, right?" asked Naruto while his hand shifted horizontally back and forth under his nose. He was completely not understanding what the man was insinuating. He turned toward Sasuke and asked "Hey, I never had a chance to talk to you about this but will you be my best man for my wedding this fall?"

Sasuke sighed and replied "Who else is gonna give you away?"

Both men tried to laugh but they were too exhausted and in pain. They helped each other up and went inside to clean up their wounds. They took a long hot bath and afterwards reminisced over a bottle of Hennessy Ellipse. Sasuke eventually forgot about his truck full of groceries and for the first time in the last three weeks was finally able to close his eyes and fall asleep even when a snoring prick was sharing the other half of his bed. He was dreaming about spring and plum blossoms gently raining on him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Sasuke, why are you being so rude? That's like the fifth dress Hinata has tried on and you have been saying negative things to her," confronted Naruto loudly and standing over Sasuke, who was lounging on the couch and completely ignoring Naruto by playing his DS. "She's a nice girl and doesn't deserve that kind of treatment."

Suddenly Sakura enters the viewing room and marched over to the two men and lectured through gritted teeth, "You two better start acting polite to my friend or I will personally kill both of you after this."

"But Sakura, I'm innocent," pleaded Naruto.

"You just stood by while Sasuke kept making bad comments about the dress and how the dress was not made for that body type," explained a fuming Sakura. She was so upset that she invited the two idiots to come and help pick out the wedding's formalwear. She was more concerned about how Hinata was going to survive being the maid of honor and walking with the butthead, who has a complex with the opposite sex. Hinata kept insuring Sakura that she didn't mind that Sasuke was only being honest but Sakura understood her pain because she had in the past been in the receiving end of Sasuke's negative insults.

What the engaged couple didn't know was that Sasuke was still healing from the revelation that he didn't have a chance with the woman in the dressing room. He didn't even know that she would be the maid of honor. He thought that life would continue like before they met and that their last interaction was when he received the tuxedo jacket and charm in the mail. He was surprised to see Hinata this morning dressed in a cable knit dress who came knocking on his hotel room to remind him of today's viewing appointment upon Sakura's request and having her turn red and fainting from the sight of him with only a towel. He actually thought his annoying friend was the one who disturbed his morning grooming rituals.

It had been more then half a year that he hadn't seen her and here she was in his arms and unconscious like always. He brought her in his room and laid her down on his bed. As he slowly released her from his arms, he innocently touched her cheeks and traced his fingers over her eyelashes and stopped until it reached her ear. He then leaned in and whispered, "Call my name." Droplets of water from his hair suddenly dripped onto her hair and that's when Sasuke realized what he had done. He was so in shocked that he jumped back with one hand over mouth, staggered backward until he hit the wall, and was feeling ashamed of his actions. He went back in the bathroom and finished getting ready until the other two arrived at his room.

"Hinata, I love this on you" exclaims Sakura.

Sasuke looked up from his game and once again she took his breathe away. Hinata was bashfully modeling a sky blue sequined v-collar, white ruched halter silk chiffon draped gown. The wedding was a Grecian theme due to the location Naruto had chosen. It will be at an abandoned church he found near the resort he recently acquired on the island that Hinata and he did research on. As for the men, Sakura fell in love with the white linen sports coat and matching beachcomber pants with light blue short sleeved linen buttoned up shirt. Sakura was still keeping her dress a surprise and so the men had to stay back for Hinata's turn.

Again Sakura asked Sasuke to pose next to Hinata so that she could take a picture for when she can decide on which attires she wanted for the wedding. Sasuke walked over to Hinata's side and offered his arm. She slowly slid her hand in his arm and rested it on his inner elbow and for the 6th or 7th time today, he blushed from their close contact. After the camera snapped, Hinata quickly removed her hand from his arm.

Truthfully, he didn't want her to wear any of the dresses chosen so far because he didn't want anyone seeing her in the dresses especially Naruto. His jealously and possessive self was also ashamed of himself for hurting her feelings when he made the negative comments trying to deter the wedding planning couple. So for this dress, he kept his mouth shut as an apology to her.

With that last dress, all three models returned to their dressing rooms to change for lunch so that they can return early to the hotel to get ready. Sasuke was having his long awaited art exhibit later that night. This whole viewing came about when Naruto and Sakura received an invitation for his exhibit in Tokyo, they scheduled their wedding shopping on the same weekend and invited Hinata.

As Hinata was leaving her dressing space, she saw Naruto pulling Sakura into his dressing room. Because his curtains were still open, she could see their reflections from his side mirror. She was frozen from shock and couldn't believe that sight before her. She had always seen them together holding hands, giving each other a peck on the lips, and happily conversing with each other but this very moment made her body tremble and heart racing.

Out of no where, a hand came covering her eyes and another hand encircled her waist carrying her away. She wasn't sure if she was assaulted or relieved that someone had taken her away from a scene that was too upsetting for her to deal with. She could feel doors being opened and closed until she could feel rushing winds gushed toward her. She could feel the other person heart beat accelerating too.

By the time she was released from the stranger's grasp, her lips were met with another. She opened her eyes and realized it was Sasuke or she had an idea that it could have been him. The kiss was insistent at first because Hinata gripped his shirt to fight back until the kiss became more lingering. When he finally released her lips, they were both staring at each other breathing heavily. Suddenly Hinata's brain restarted and it uploaded the information that he had stolen her first. The same person who hurt her feelings earlier, the same one that attacked her on their first encounter, the one that had been avoiding her the last 8 months, the two faced condescending known womanizer had taken away the kiss that she……she couldn't say it to herself because she was ashamed that she was this old and reserving a kiss for someone who doesn't want it.

"You," screamed Hinata. She wanted to insult him for his assault on her but words were not transferring quickly enough from her head to her mouth. Frustrated, she slapped him. Seeing that her slap had no damage on him she finally was able to spit out, "Jerk!"

Tears were flowing from eyes and she was experiencing these strange emotions stirring inside her that she didn't know what to do. She felt helpless, hurt from what Naruto did, anger from the two faced Sasuke, and this sudden urge to continue their kissing. He tried to hug her but she pushed him away. "I don't know what you are trying to do," stated a lost looking Hinata. She then opened the nearby door to entered the building and left Sasuke standing alone cursing the winds. He hated himself for his one selfish moment of desire which caused the one person he never wanted to hurt but it seemed like he was getting very good at hurting himself and her simultaneously.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Keep the change," replied Hinata to the taxi driver whose car was stuck in traffic. Due to Sasuke's art show, the roads were over congested by fans, patrons and the usual pedestrians of the busy city. Hinata, who was already late for the premiere, was now walking the rest of the way toward the exhibit. Sasuke's face was plastered everywhere on billboards advertising his show. "What am I doing here?" she thought.

After the viewing appointment was over, she excused herself from the three's company, explained that she felt ill and returned to the hotel. In her room, she immediately changed into her pajamas, pulled her hair back with a head band and started her nightly rituals earlier than scheduled. She closed all the windows, turned on all the lights, and sharpened her pencils. She took her new sketch book out that was purchased for the trip hoping that she could draw new pictures of Naruto.

She started drawing when she moved to London. She felt that this was a means to a connection to Naruto. She had memorized all his facial features by Middle School's graduation to memory. Whenever she was alone, she would draw him without even thinking. She drew him so much that it came naturally and mechanical like.

She wanted to draw that look that Naruto had when he pulled Sakura in the enclosed cubicle, but when it came to his lips it kept becoming blurry from her kneading the eraser multiple times in that one area. But it was strange; the lips still looked familiar even in the state of deformity. She tore that page off and continued again but the results were the same as the first. She tried again and again but the pages kept resembling someone else. Someone, who she didn't want to interfere with her nightly routine, was adamantly invading even in her most private thoughts and programmed drawing.

Why was he invading her personal space that she had kept well guarded? She had never given anyone a chance to cross the lines beyond friendship. Even after Kiba confessed she never allowed him the opportunity to step out of the boundaries of friendship. Constantly reminding him of their status to the point where it was drilled in his mind. The only one allowed passing that point never veered in that direction. Now a person that she thought would never be a candidate for even friendship has unrelentingly charged right in without her consent toward somewhere she wasn't even sure of because she had never been there herself.

Suddenly back from her thoughts, she looked down at the current drawing and it resembled a person that she didn't even know that she had became familiar with his features. When did he become a focal point in her life?

After some more frustrated sketches, Sakura called and asked her if she was still able to make it for the show. Hinata apologized for her health and sends her regards to the artist. Sakura asked if Hinata needed any medical attention but refused because all she wanted was to be alone to figure out what this unsettling feeling was. So, Naruto and Sakura left her a VIP pass to the show by sliding it under her door. They both left feeling bad for Hinata but also thought that it must be serious for Hinata to be acting like this.

Hinata continued drawing more until she ran out of pages and continued drawing on the hotel's menus, phone book directories, guest book, note pads, napkins, stationary, and even on the matches. It was strange she had lost all images of Naruto from her mind. When did it happen? Did Sasuke press a button that reset her? From that thought, she quickly got dressed in a pinstriped buttoned up dress with back laced white leathered boots and finished with a black fitted hooded coat. She didn't care if she matched or not. She packed up the pass and room keys and headed out the door as if on a mission with a stern determination shown on her face.

And now she was walking along the streets of downtown Tokyo. As she was about two blocks away from the art show, the area was closed off due to the amount of people who showed up, security reasons and health violation. Sasuke Uchiha you even have the nerve to even interfere with my confrontation with you, thought Hinata. She stood there staring at the do not enter sign and wanted to kick it to the ground but thought that the last thing she wanted was to ruin the Hyuga name in any way.

Giving up on meeting him tonight at the art gallery, she finally decided to visit the Tokyo Tower that she had never had a chance to visit before and thought maybe she'll stop by his room later to give him a piece her mind. She walked past the many faces of Sasuke down the street. If only these people knew the real Sasuke, would they still admire him? Was his fame only a result from his looks and family's name? Was it the massacre that made the name more famous than before? "Why was she even thinking about this?" thought Hinata to herself.

She finally made it to the Tower and calls Neji for a favor. Within 15 minutes, she was ushered in by an attendant to be taken to the special observatory gallery. By the time the elevator opened to the deck, she was already woozy from the ride. She climbed the stairs slowly onto the gallery but was feeling a little weak. Maybe it was that she hadn't eaten all day.

Suddenly from afar, she hears a familiar male voice.

"If I go to hell, would you come with me?" She turned around looking for him and finally saw Sasuke's back to her staring out onto the horizon.

"Only if I caused your downfall," answered Hinata. She walked closer to him and thinking that her hallucination was just as accurate as her drawings of him.

Sasuke was shocked to hear her voice and slowly turned around to face her.

"I like the look," he finally said after what felt like an eternity.

"Oh, this. It's only one of my more curvaceous look and not as flattering," answered Hinata using some choice words that he used to shoot down her pride earlier.

"No, I meant the hair. You seem to be wittier with your hair up," stated Sasuke as he points at the headband.

"Thanks."

"You welcome."

With that said, they continued staring out at the stars in silence. It was a beautiful sight that both were just in awe of how small they were compared to the vast world. Being more than 300 meters above the ground somehow made the two left all there strange emotions and conflicts toward each other tucked away for another time. They eventually sat down on the floor to lounge until Hinata's stomach growled. "There's this great Takoyaki stand downstairs. Wanna go?"

"Yes, please," answered a smiling Hinata. She was thinking maybe she would try him as a friend and then maybe work on venturing beyond the unknown. Somehow being this high up, the possibilities seemed endless.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"And lastly, I've also called for this meeting to discuss my leave of absence that I shall be taking soon and I am asking for your support to facilitate the heart of the Hyuga Corporation which is our division, the Tea Division, to the best of your abilities during my absence. Please allow me this opportunity to I extend my gratitude to all here who will endorse my absence," announced Hinata worriedly and she bows a sincere bow in front of her division's managers and staff. Looking at the granite floors of the meeting room, she could hear chairs moving and rustling in the background. She was too afraid to look because it sounded too much of a strike but the silence a moment later surprised her.

When she looked up, she was met by the person second in command to her, who was an elderly stout gentleman. Upon seeing Hinata's worried face, he proclaimed, "As you can see, we are unified when we say that our director doesn't need a leave of absence but a much needed paid vacation." Hinata was surprised from his kind words that she looked past him and around the room and only witnessed faces smiling back at her. He continued, "Director Hyuga, we are the ones that are grateful to be under your guidance and wings all these years. Now please let us to show you what we are capable of to express our gratitude to our most beloved and respected boss, who works year round, long hours, and never asking for our help." He then turns around to orchestrate the rest of the people in the room to straighten up their stand and with a turn of his hand, he turns back to Hinata and they all bowed down in unison.

The overflowing gratitude she felt made her shed tears of pride and joy for her division. Finally after soaking a complete handkerchief, she was able to choke up these words that spoke volumes to everyone's heart who was standing and smiling, "Everyone, thank you."

When she returned to her office there was a package awaiting her on her desk. She was curious and opened to find a paper that stated, "In case you missed me." She looked back at the box and at the very bottom of all the packaging Styrofoam was a wooden carved frame which housed a picture of a smirking Sasuke. Why would he think that I need this, thought Hinata. It's bad enough that I draw him every night.

Since that fateful night at the Tower, Hinata and Sasuke came up with a solution for their problems. They wrote a treaty that both parties had to work toward improving their relationship as friends. Their first objective as friends was to give Naruto and Sakura the biggest wedding bash ever. And along with that objective also came conditions that needed be met such as being honest and to speak their mind. They wrote all these down at a nearby park on a bench that was stored on both their PDA mobiles.

The reason behind the objective was for Hinata to completely surrender all feelings, thoughts, or desires toward the cheeky blond and for Sasuke to prove his feelings toward her was genuine and if they can work well together as equals. They both ended the night at Hinata's hotel room door with a pleasant farewell. Even though some issues were resolved, many were left unsaid.

Hinata just couldn't believe the turn of events until recently she discovered from TenTen and many others that the art exhibit was never showcased in the first place and that all the pieces of wares were all sold before the opening. The only pictures taken of the artworks were by the curator for filing purposes and pictures taken by a photographer for an upcoming magazine that Sasuke sat for an interview that was suppose to be published later but with him being in the headlines recently they published the information earlier then planned. Making that volume sold out within two days of its release.

Everyone was curious of the Uchiha's genius and after seeing the pictures of the artworks everyone agreed that the Uchiha had matured and refined his technique. Since the artworks were never unmasked to the public made each pieces triple in value. The night of the art show Sasuke was already a no show which left Naruto, Sakura, and his PR team working like chickens with their heads cut off.

Later she found out from Sasuke that he had gone up there to spy on her but he never did see her because he was having a hard time dealing with the viewing instruments. He ended up just staring at the clouds and trying to figure out how he was going to tell her what he wanted from her. She instantly denied him any further explanation or it would have him breaking a condition on the compact; that they were not allowed to confess to one another unless both parties were at a complete agreement upon entering the next level of the relationship.

Hinata finished most of her work earlier then planned today and after that whole prideful crying incident at the meeting, she felt she needed to retire for the day. As she was leaving her office building, an unfamiliar roadster drove up. Instantly she recognized the driver of the vehicle who came out and offered his passenger seat. She turns toward her chauffer, who was standing nearby that she had another transport and that he was excused for the night. She then enters the roadster and felt a rush of familiarity by the scenery. By the time Sasuke had settled into the driver's seat she asked, "Why does this car have a deja vu feel to it?"

Sasuke smiled from her remark and finally answered, "That's a secret."

They both drove off enjoying the scenery in silence until they reached a small little curry restaurant that was at this very moment housing patrons that were their friends for the exception of the loud Naruto and bossy Sakura. It was going to be a long night, they thought when they walked toward the noisy restaurant and for once Hinata felt that she could feel at ease knowing that his presence was near by.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Thanks for sending us off Sasuke. We'll see you at the island next weekend and don't forget to pack your suit. We won't forgive you if you do," threatened Sakura.

"Man, I still can't believe I got the red ball!" exclaimed Naruto enthralled while he does a Rocky Balboa victory dance because he had been trying to win the grand prize since his discovery of Konoha's shopping district's lottery. The amount of cup ramen that Naruto purchases frequently has increased his chances at the lottery offered to the public twice a year sponsored by the shopping district association headed by the local book store owner, Mr. Kakashi. The president of the shopping association has been thwarting Naruto since their first encounter at the rotary drum of colored balls and since then Naruto has adamantly been trying to win the top prize just to wipe the smug face off of Mr. Kakashi for making fun of him. And now his recent triumphant win has earned him a 3 day cruise right before his wedding. "It's just too bad that you can't come with us, Sasuke."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't miss out on much. I 'm just glad that you will be away for awhile," offered Sasuke exasperatedly forcing a smile and patting Naruto's back.

"Are we early? How come we are the only ones here?" asked Sakura as they walk toward the ramp of a suspiciously calm area on the docks.

Suddenly loud popping sounds were heard overhead making Naruto and Sakura instinctively duck for cover. When they saw Sasuke calmly picking up their luggage and then treading up the ramp, that's when they noticed the confetti being thrown at them from above by all their friends screaming, "Surprise!" The couple was so in shocked that they were beside themselves.

By the time Sasuke reached the top, the intercom came on and announced, "All aboard! To the couple standing down at the docks, yes you two, please board the liner for we are about to head off for a three day cruise on a fun filled adventure to the exotic pacific islands. The cruise will depart at the scheduled time so please board as soon as possible or we shall leave without you two. That means: hurry up!" The sounds of the cruise horn could then be heard and the two began their hike up the ramp still in shock as to why half of Konoha was on broad the cruise.

After the captain made that announcement, Sasuke was climbing the stairs to the open upper deck where a certain Hyuga was still preparing for the luncheon festivities that were scheduled to occur soon. First on the list of the itinerary was to check-in at the front desk and to settle into their suites. Second was to divide into groups for a tour of the ship and to further inform the guest about the trip. Third was to relax under sun at the pool with grilled barbecue served at the adjoining open deck divided by tented cabanas for a bit of intimacy and privacy.

Looking at her hair swirling about her while she supervised the decorations, made Sasuke forgot that he came here to report that the eagle had landed and the surprise went off without a hitch. She was wearing a light blue damask print white sun dress accentuated with a petite blue satin belt and a white cardigan sports jacket. Her professionalism as a planner had made an impression on him and made him wonder if this was how she went about planning the events of their first encounter.

Hinata bought up several ideas to the gang at Lee's restaurant and none of them were as grand as the cruise project. As Sasuke and Hinata stood before their companions, he couldn't help but feel like they were the class representatives trying to be democratic in a classroom. During the entire meeting, she discussed the purpose of the project, funding, man power, the surprise element, and lastly was to have everyone in the room including the two hosts to sign a compact of secrecy and full cooperation.

After the meeting, Hinata and Sasuke practically holed themselves in Shino's studio condo located near the university. They needed a spot that Naruto and Sakura would never thought of finding them or been at. Shino was such a secretive person that even Hinata and Kiba had never visited his abode before. Sasuke was afraid that the place was infested with insects but was surprised to find that Shino was immaculately clean and meticulous.

His studio was an interesting architectural design. Everything was hidden behind what looked like walls but had a way of rolling out for instance like his bed, multi-bookcases, kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, and television screen. The only thing that could be seen when you walked in was the beautiful silk rug and the many incased portraits of fairies. Sasuke wondered if bug boy had any psychological effects by living in an empty rectangular box. It may look like an artistic way of life but was just too complicated for Sasuke to deal with.

Hinata, the Accounting graduate, then occupied the corner of the house that had a roll out desk. Hinata brought many easels, dry erase markers, a mass variety of colored writing instruments, patterned post-its, a multi-purpose printer, portfolios, and lastly reams of different papyrus. "Do you have anything else in that limo of yours?" remarked Sasuke who only bought his calligraphy necessities and his game console.

They worked long hours for two weeks and on the first day they allocated it to raising funds for the project. Both their monetary donations sum total may have been in the outrageous 6 digits but wasn't comparable to the cost of the ship's rental. Hinata called on the aid of TenTen and Temari whereas Sasuke called Neji and Shikamaru. Though the two couples may be married but as individual entities they were a force to be reckoned with. The two women each have an impressive stock portfolio which enables them to shop freely as they do without their husband's complaints or knowledge.

As for Shikamaru, he began programming RPG computer games at a young age until it advanced toward video games. That alone was just chump change for him. His actual assets came from commissions for such works as writing anti-hacking programs, contracts to hack databases, and assisting in the billion dollar movie industry with computer graphics. He does all three types of jobs under 3 different aliases. The reason why he had to branch out to side jobs was because of a bet he made with his father. The bet was if Shikamaru could triple the net worth of Nara Pharmaceuticals, he was then allowed to live his life as he pleases and spared from taking over the company after his father retires. True to his words, Shikamaru's father gave in when his son showed him the numbers in his checkbook. But unbeknownst to Shika was that his father just wanted his slacker of a son from flowing with the current but to actually be the one to guide the movements of the clouds. Now Shikamaru's eldest son is his father's next target.

The total contributions from the two couples were enough to rent the ship and the rest of the day was calling everyone else toward funding the rest of the project. They got the infamous Jiraiya and Tsunade to donate a large sum of money and to offer their assistance if needed. With that Hinata took advantage of the two to help with the hospital and looking after Naruto's resort enterprise during their absence and supplied them with transportation to the date of the wedding. She then called the rest of the gang and they all happily transferred money into the account that the pair set up for the project.

The more Hinata spoke on the phone, the more post-its were posted and organizational chart boxes was crossed out. Sasuke was amazed at how this woman worked. Whenever he came to offer his assistance, she denied him the opportunity to be of service except maybe some hot tea on occasion. The next couple of days became more hectic. They rented the ship, collected information on everyone by getting Udon, Naruto's assistance, to steal the mailing list for their wedding to reserve rooms, and all other arrangements to get the party going. They then located Mr. Kakashi to cooperate with them on a pseudo-lottery. They offered him three different prizes for his actual lottery and to get the shopping districts and shoppers to play along for the fake lotto and have the real one occurring during the time that Naruto was having his wedding.

They concocted a rotary drum that could go back and forth from two compartments inside the contraption. So when Naruto shows up for his usual turn at the lotto, the person supervising the drum would press a receiving controller that would beam the information to unlock the compartment containing the winning colored balls and then switch back to normal when he won so that he wouldn't be suspicious. The apparatus were a collaboration between the two, making Sasuke more impressed with Hinata's other hidden talents.

Just as Sasuke was walking closer to Hinata to update her on Naruto, she was stepping down backward from a raised portion on the deck which made Sasuke run to her aid. As she was being held in his arms, she couldn't understand the familiarity of the moment that their eyes met just then and the feeling of being lifted by him. Her iridescent eyes stared straight into his and couldn't stop the rush of heat that slowly crept from her cheeks to quickly spreading to the rest of her body. Leaving the last of her senses before fainting was recognizing a familiar scent that had a hint of summer.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

She awoke to the same familiar scent and looked at her surroundings. It must have been Sasuke's suite because his clothes that he wore earlier were lying on the couch. I hope he didn't undress in this room while I was lying right here, thought a blushing Hinata. She saw the familiar calligraphy on a note perching on the nearby night stand. The note was reminding her about the last event on today's itinerary and that her costume was delivered to her room. He also posts script to please reserve a dance for him.

She quickly got up to return to her room hoping that the luncheon went well and that the honored couple was enjoying this so far. She also hated how she had been fainting more than ever now that they were spending time together. "When will she have this strange habit controlled? Hinata was puzzled about how these occurrences suddenly moved from Naruto to Sasuke. Was it because she was at the next level but didn't know it. No, no this can't be. Was Sasuke a replacement for her unplaced admiration? I have to work harder on this treaty!" she thought confused.

As she walked down the hall, she couldn't help but think about Sasuke. She had witnessed a half dressed Sasuke during their time at Shino's and has been having a hard time facing him for fear of bringing back certain images.

During their encampment at the condo, Shino being kind and introverted insisted that she took his bed and that Sasuke and he could sleep on futons. Which was conveniently placing her on the other end of the house, that is until one night, Shino called to inform her that he would be home late attending a wine tasting party with colleagues and for her and Sasuke to not wait up. She had just gotten her hair dried from her shower and was about to mention Shino's message to Sasuke when she walked in on him half dressed.

Hinata fell in love with his calligraphy and asked that he prepared the scrolled brushed invites to be passed out to everyone. Surprisingly, he agreed and brought all his tools with him. He painted diligently day and night but that one unexpected night, he had seduced her with his skilled use of his body toward the application of characters that flowed from his heart and mind to the desired mark on the paper. He was sitting seiza style dressed in his casual robes. As she pushed the bathroom door to slide forward, she was frozen from the sudden sight of skin.

He was undressing the upper half of the less formal kimono which was now rumpled and loosely hanging from his lower abdomen. He continued painting down the scrolls vertically and evenly across the paper. Each graceful stroke was precise and steady. She had been too occupied lately to even notice the Uchiha at work not until now. Each muscle movement used to perform the art was beautiful. The strange lighting in the room also gave off the shadows and definition shown on his arms and torso. It was a beautiful sight to behold and she was completely drawn in by the artistry and talent in his performance. "Amazing," she whispered out loud.

Suddenly Sasuke turned toward her direction and saw that she was on the ground behind the door. He rushed toward her thinking that something must have happened but before she could mutter anything to stop him from coming any closer she had already passed out from fear of what she would do once touched. Since that moment, Hinata had to work twice as hard to avoid the mysterious feeling of being seduced.

She then reached her room with a slight blush and stumbling for her keys. Even when he wasn't around, she was acting strange. There was that other time when she was asked by Sakura to fetch the Uchiha for the formalwear appointment and having seen him dripping wet and barely covered was a sight that Hinata had not expected to witness. She was still speechless from that sight and at this very moment while she was washing her face couldn't help her crimson red face from cooling down.

Her costume was a low-cut light lavender satin, silk, corseted dress with pearl and crystal beading on white embroidery embellishments on her gown and cleavage trimming. The train of the gown began from mid back from the top of the corset with a single pleat and trails outward spreading below past her heels. She split her hair on the side and swept her long tresses on the other side into a neat chignon and decorated it with light purple orchids. She looked at her mask that she decorated and wondered what everyone's designs were.

The scrolled invitations were personal delivered by Sasuke and herself for fear that they would get caught by the event's honored couple. The invite was enclosed with a mask for each person to decorate, passenger tickets, room and board info, and the itinerary for the entire trip. They advised verbally about traveling with sufficient amount of money to be able to participate in the later events and to shop accordingly to the itinerary to the specific themes.

The theme of tonight's adult only Masquerade Ball was "Highwaymen and Ladies," which was for the men to pretend to be highwaymen who were disguised as aristocratic gents and military men, who had snuck in and intended to steal the hearts of the refined upper-class ladies at the Ball. The objective for the men was to try to find their date behind the multitude of masked people and to sign their name first onto their desired maiden's dance card list hidden wherever the lady pleases on herself. When Sasuke and Shino heard what Hinata wanted for the theme, they laughed smugly thinking that the appeal was completely lost due to the ridiculous idea but when Sasuke saw the delight in all the female recipients upon receiving their invitations realized that woman were definitely from a different planet and all this fluff had gone over his head.

The reason why Hinata had chosen this theme was her love for the poem of the two star-crossed lovers who was doomed from the beginning. Maybe this was her attempt at revenging their honored deaths by replaying a different scenario of the classic love story. But the most exciting part of the Ball was for the ladies, the hunt for the most decadent and extravagant costume that could only accentuate their assets.

Hinata called TenTen to be updated on the approaching event and found out that Neji just boarded the ship and is still dressing, Naruto and Sakura are completely tickled pink from all the efforts that the two had done for them, and that the baby was with a trusted nanny. So TenTen, hinted to Hinata the color of her gown and left it with that. Hinata finally finishing up felt that she was passable in appearance and adorned her pearl encrusted faux white peacock and swan feathers covering most of her hair.

She entered the hall and was instantly fascinated with everyone's costumes and the effort they put into playing a role from an aged English era. The music that was pounding her ears was a classic instrumental with some R&B beats and scratching, new wave trance kind of music added. She could guess the identity of several people but then the colors around her started to blend in and her vision distorted. She decided to walk outside for some fresh air. As she opened the swinging doors and reach the deck railings, the rush of air colliding against her caused her to trip and fall.

"Are you alright?" asked a familiar and friendly voice. He helped her up and had both his arms around her waist. He was dressed in a red military buttoned jacket with sach, black belt, pressed white pants, and shiny black shoes. His mask was an outrageous orange sequined design with crazy yellow and orange feathers protruding from around the sides of the mask.

"I feel a bit dizzy," answered Hinata almost whispering and still couldn't get her footing right. As he was about to lean in and press his forehead upon hers to check her temperature, he was shortly stopped suddenly because he was halted by a silver metal that was swung in between them and blocking him from her.

"Stand and deliver! Release the girl and the goods and I shall let you live," came a deep voiced male dressed in a long black, buttoned, high collared, trench coat. He wore a large tricorn hat and a plain black mask. He then motioned the saber for the orange mask to step away from the woman.

Hinata looked at both and saw that the black assailant gave her a menacing aura while the one next to her, Naruto, had this twinkle in his eyes that sparkled from the adrenaline pumping wildly. Hinata hasn't seen that face since the time their group were lost in Hong Kong during a school trip and pondered onto a noodle emporium. Naruto unsheathed his sword and both men understood that the dance had begun. Naruto was so excited that he was challenged to a duel right when he thought the night was too calm for him.

They kept jabbing at each other and clashing their swords until the black highwayman broke his pseudo-sword. Hinata noticed the crowd that was accumulating from above, around the current deck of the fight, and downstairs. The chanting in the background resounded loudly, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Naruto took this chance and lunged in at the other man and because he ducked from Naruto's weapon, his hat came flying off.

Suddenly a masked person from upstairs throws his cosplay sword down to the black attired man who Hinata soon recognizes as Sasuke. Sasuke and Naruto were at it again and every time one of them broke their saber another was offered. It went on until a big flurry of crimson red fabric and pink hair flew in between the two and flashed one of her more threatening stares toward Naruto that completely ended the fight and dispersing the crowds.

Sasuke walks up to Hinata and was about to pick her up but she swatted his hands, stood up, and began to walk away from him leaving an apologetic and whinny Naruto kissing up to a screaming angry Sakura. Sasuke finally caught up to her, restrained her from walking any further, and asked, "Why are you upset?"

She was so upset that she couldn't speak and she couldn't understand exactly why she was mad. She did feel embarrassed in front of the crowd but what was eating at her for her to act this way. Confusedly she hollered back, "You completely embarrassed me in front of my peers and ruined a party that we worked so hard on. You didn't just fenced with anyone but the honored guest himself." After she said all that she was surprised that she even said it coherently in this state.

"Why would you even care what any of them think about you or what we do?" asked Sasuke in a frustrated manner.

He completely took her off guard and she screamed back, "Because I am the hiere……." She pauses because she wasn't even that person anymore. Softly she finished, "Because of my pride as a Hyuga." She couldn't understand why she was mad and she couldn't understand why she was crying, all she knew was that this man bought emotions to her that she didn't know how to answer or settle. She understood that he was only attempting to protect her from Naruto and she was grateful but she couldn't understand why he was so adamant on trying to be with her. He was slowly wrapping his arms around her but she pushed him away and ran off again.

Sasuke stood there completely infuriated with himself but thankful for all the rolls he had stuffed in his inner jacket that shielded him from most of Naruto's brutal thrusts. The rolls were actually packed for Hinata who hadn't eaten all day. He then took out the two cartons of juice that he stole earlier from the orphans who were hanging out with Lee at the game room downstairs. As he was unloading the rest of the food that he had stolen from various places, he wished he could undo that moment that he saw Naruto inching toward a defenseless Hinata. He knew that his friend was not the cheating kind but he just didn't trust her heart from falling in love with that idiot all over again and ruining all the hard work that he had invested toward her. Worst of all, he never had a chance to tell her how she looked utterly enticing and fetching tonight.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Why did you choose the rabbit?" asked Chouji apathetically while selecting which potato chip bag to open next.

"Hinata, the objective of choosing which player is to see which one has the stats that you can utilize and be helpful to the group," informed Sai.

Hinata pursed her lips and couldn't understand why she can't be the cute little white rabbit that had a tattered sewn vest and a little brown pouch hanging like a messenger bag; the spaghetti strap holding the pouch was snuggly hung off one shoulder and diagonally under his other arm. He had fluffy fur, a round tummy, uneven whiskers, pink nose, one bent ear, and black dots for eyes. It was too cute. She had to pick his profile as her player.

"Its ok Hinata, I'll protect you," said Naruto trying to offer his encouragement.

"But the rabbit's stats are the lowest out of all the choices," explained Sai.

"I'm sure the rabbit has to be significant if Shikamaru made up that character," reassured Chouji.

She thought long and hard of a name that would be threatening and powerful yet cute. She finally typed his name: Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog. She thought the name was befitting of his profile. His profile stated that his age was too old to remember, strength was very low, damage to date has never been recorded, and that his weapons were still unknown.

They were currently on day 2 of the cruise and about to start the mid-day event that Sasuke got Shikamaru to help arrange. It was supposed to be an eight hour long RPG group game. After brunch was served at the poolside, everyone had to go to the Hall located downstairs to participate playing in a group tournament LAN Party. Everyone came in and pulled a number from a hat that would direct them to their team that was separated from other teams by sectional cubicles. Inside each cubicle was a table with about 6 notebooks, connected mouse and micro-phoned headsets and chairs. To lighten the mood, the dress attire for the event was pajamas and bathrobes and party snacks and beverages were served in the hall next door for anyone who needed a quick break.

From what Hinata understood from the girls earlier in the snack room, was that there were about 10 levels to beat and each level had its challenges to beat. Like solving riddles, search for clues to a mystery, saving people, or killing anything that looks out of the ordinary. You can collect treasures, by means that are unknown and could range from books to jewels, and use the treasures as a trade for energy and weapons. As a group you have to work together in each challenges of each medieval-like villages until the team can pass all ten gates then they would face off against the tyrannical monstrous king of that 10 village kingdom. The first team to beat the king wins and the game ends or whichever team is the furthest at exactly the eight hour mark wins. The winning team would then be honored in the next event scheduled on the itinerary. And the most talked about rule was; anything goes or in other words, advancement by any means

Hinata thought this was easy until her teammates tried to teach her how to go back and forth from her inventory, gauging the map, telling the difference between individual and team life, how to go back and forth from each weapon, and finally moving your character on the screen. All your teammates had the same colored gems floating a top their heads and everyone else, who could be friend or foe had a different stone. "Just make sure that you are safe and covered ok Hinata and we'll handle all the damages for you," offered Naruto. She thought that damages meant damage as in breaking something in the game and couldn't understand why they would do that for her but then again she didn't understand why the guys spoke an entirely different language when she stepped into today's event.

Even when Shino and Sasuke were explaining the event to her at the condo, she couldn't see the fascination of the game. She offered if the woman could be doing something else in the meantime. But Sasuke and Shino thought that since all the men on board would be knowledgeable on all Shika games that the woman would even the odds a bit. Hinata also took that as an insult but Shino explained that they couldn't have people like Shika and Neji taking all the fun from everyone. That didn't make sense because Neji and Shikamaru were the moderators of the game today so how would they kick everyone's butts. But she was later informed that because Shikamaru was the maker so that automatically eliminates him from the game and Neji had won the last two years at every LAN party that was thrown so far.

Suddenly Shikamaru and Neji stood up at the stage and announced that all the groups had to finish up prepping the teams and then as scheduled they began the countdown to the start of the game. As the countdown was about to end, Hinata noticed that at the bottom of the screen was a pop-up message:

**Baron Bisclarvret:** Yo, I knew that you would be the rabbit when I saw it in the list of characters.

Hinata was surprised that she would be identified this early in the game. She thought for a bit and tried to figure the name then she remembered reading this name somewhere and it was a report that Kiba had to write that required her assistance back in the day.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Kiba how did find me?

**Baron Bisclarvret:** Two words: Fuzzy slippers. I gotta run, good luck!

As Hinata tried to maneuver her rabbit through the first stage trying to follow behind her team, who seem to be doing well without her. During that conversation, they had already filled their inventory with treasures and are in the process of purchasing weapons. Sai, who was a floating spirit, wrote to her:

**Xenic Poltergeist: **Hinata, would you like us to buy something for you since we are at the market?

Hinata looked around at the goods being offered and didn't understand why she had to store weapons and magical items in her inventory when she wasn't fighting. That is until she stumbled onto a dirty raggedy stuffed bunny with a missing button for an eye and a button that was badly sewn for the other eye and a small worn book on olden poetry and puns. She thought that her team was doing fine without her so she could do with a bit of shopping on her own. When they finished bartering, they told her that the rabbit and book was free and she did well but she wondered if they were mad that their forth member wasn't as serious about this as they were.

Sai was the most serious player in their group and she assumed that as an ex-artist and current editor-in-chief of the manga department from a new independent publishing company; he would appreciate the art and detail put into each pixel on the screen. Chouji had played these games for most of his life as Shikamaru's best friend so she understood why he was indifferent through the challenges. He probably liked having a break from his family's business, who just unveiled their newest potato chip flavor that he had been working long hours to promote. The snacks and beverages in the next room were sponsored by his family, Akimichi Products. He used this opportunity to push sale his products and lined both halls with advertisements with his family's trademark mascot a cartoon like chibi sumo wrestler. Naruto, on the other hand, was completely driven with excitement. Sometimes when they were fighting foes, he would forget to hit the keys and actually start to physically attack the LCD screen.

After three hours of concentrating on riddles and focusing for clues, Hinata's eyes were straining and had to take a break. She excused herself from the group, set her character on auto-pilot and went over to Neji to clock out for a bit and soon found most of the women in the snack hall. She walked over to her group of friends who found a nice table by the open glass doors enjoying the nice breeze.

"It's about time you joined us," teased Ino.

"Tea or coffee?" offered TenTen. Hinata hinted at the tea and was admiring the porcelain tea set that was prepared. This must be Temari's doing because she was a fanatic at searching for rare tea sets and this one was a beautiful violet swirling pattern splashed on cream and glazed evenly. The shapes were very different from the norm or artistic one. It had a symmetrical oval shape with two handles on the side and four legs protruding at the bottom. The lid had a unique blossom of a flower that Hinata had never seen or read about and she thought she read much on the subject. The handles, legs, and lid ornament were made from a dark wood carved delicately against the waves of its grains.

"Did you guys see the group that was slithering in the dark?" asked Temari sipping on her tea with a matching tea cup. The cups had the same lavender pattern on cream but the handle with the same color wood looked like a tree branch delicately wrapping the cup in its protective limbs. Hinata then noticed the heater used to warm the pot and it latched unto the pot with four gripping claw-like reaching upward to keep the pot in place and interchanging with the legs of the pot when placed together like puzzle pieces. When placed together, it looked like the tree produced this pearl like egg and enclosed it in a nest. It was beautifully made, Hinata thought.

"Well, I guessed that group got lucky and found themselves some type of cloaking magic," answered Sakura who was also sipping from the matching tea cup.

"Our time is almost up so we better get going before the rest of our teams get restless. Hinata you get some rest while we are gone and don't worry about cleaning up. Shikamaru said that he wanted some tea on his next break," mentioned TenTen and the girls returned to their posts.

Hinata looked out the window and closed her eyes and gently let the breeze take away her exhaustion. She took in a long intake of air and let it slowly escape her lips.

"You looked relaxed," came a voice so close to her ears that she could feel his breath and hair barely brushing her earlobe. She immediately opened her eyes and backed away from the said person. She had been avoiding him all morning and now that they met she didn't know how to run away from this one. She sat there holding the cup tightly, trembling and looking like a scared cat trapped on top of a tree branch.

He gently took the cup out of her clutches and placed it on the table. He then sat down on the nearest chair and leaned in closer to whisper, "I promise I won't hurt you." He pauses and slightly moves a stray piece of hair that didn't reach her ponytail swaying near her ear and with the backside of his fingers, runs it against her cheeks and slowly traveling to her ear until the palm side of the fingers were tracing her earlobes meanwhile at the same time, had neatly tucked in the stray hair. The entire movement of restraining that one hair strand was a moment that her heart, brain and lungs were experiencing some type of cardiac arrest that was heightened by time and space.

When he was done, he looked straight into her eyes and said softly, "I'm sorry if I hurt you last night. That was not my intention."

Oh dear God, please save me from the temptations of this evil person, thought Hinata to God. She stared back at his dark deep onyx colored eyes and thought how come she never really looked at them before. He had long eye lashes and symmetrical almond eyes that looked sad and lonely from the way his eye lids were heavy like it didn't want to see all the beauty in the world but only half of what the world had to offer. It was as if that was all he deserved.

Slowly she placed a palm over his eyes to shield her from his unyielding stare that could any moment kill her heart with all the rush of emotions coming at her and replied back gently, "I'm sorry I couldn't be the proper damsel in distress and let you be the hero." With her hand still on his face, she stood up. She then let go of him and returned to the game. Thinking that anymore interaction with the man before her would only cause her to do things that she never imagined before.

He sat there staring at the cup she just held, picked it up for a closer inspection to look at his trademark signature painted at the bottom and said, "So, which one of those women purchased you?" Sasuke recognized his latest art piece and was wondering if he was delighted that someone was actually using it or that she came upon the piece that most resembled the way he felt for her. Like a precious gem that was hidden away and he wanted to be the one that found its beauty and hid it again for only him to appreciate.

Along the way back she bumped into Shikamaru who was on his way out for his break. They nodded at each other and Hinata clocked back in with Neji. She returned to her cubicle and saw both Sai and Chouji looking tired and getting ready to go for their break due to her return. Once they left, Naruto updated her on the game and found out that they had only advanced to level three and that they were at the moment trailing dead last compared to all the other teams in the room. They also encountered a shadow group with cloaking magic and had stolen most of their treasures and weapons and taken a heavy damage to the point of near elimination. He then put himself on auto-play and went on his break. "Hinata, just go shopping with whatever's left and buy something for yourself, kay," said Naruto trying to be positive but knew that it was a lost cause.

Hinata being left to her own devices inside the cubicle decided to go shopping after all. She enters any stall that would allow her entry. She would look for random cute trinkets and every time she tried to barter for the goods but instead they let her have them or trade her inventory for the new ones. After entering seven stalls in the market, she ended up collecting a mass of old, used and damaged items. She stumbles unto a red shabby tent that looks a bit dilapidated with a crooked flag on top. She enters inside and the old female peddler informs her that her shop is closed and to please come back later but Hinata sees a cute little stuffed carrots toy that has seen better days. She thought that her toy rabbit can have a toy carrot. Hinata types to the peddler lady if she could purchase the old toy and the peddler smiles. A pop-up window appears and asks her if she wants to enter the back of the shop and to click the yes or no option.

Curiously she clicks the yes option; she enters the back room when the peddler removes a curtain to show an entryway. Walking further down the passageway, she didn't see a back room or the peddler. It was just a long tunnel and as she walks further the darker the tunnel gets. She goes through all her inventory and sees which one can brighten the hall. She went through all the items in the inventory until she gets a grey round rock that has a crack on it. When she retrieved it, a pop-up window asks her if she wanted to throw it and she clicks yes. The rock went flying down the hall and the next thing she knew the hall lightened up. The further down she went she can see her cracked rock was shinning. It looked like the outer layer of cracked earthen material fell off of the shiny orb. She tried picking it up but she was having a hard time.

Until the rest of her team came back, she asked them for help with the orb. They were confused when they logged back on as to where they were. After Hinata retold her shopping experience, the guys continued playing where Hinata left off. They found a way out and were able to take the orb with them. When entering the open market, they found out that they had stumbled onto level five. All three guys all bowed down to Hinata's great shopping talents. She kept telling them that she didn't do anything but they were insistent that Hinata can play with them anytime and she could buy whatever she wished.

They played for about two more hours but only got to advance two more levels. Then suddenly a pop-window alerted her of a message.

**Oberon: ** Little bunny, don't go toward that direction.

Looking at the screen, she couldn't understand where this was coming from and who this could be. Maybe Shino but she didn't think that he would call her little bunny.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Is it dangerous?

**Oberon: ** Yes.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Can I trust you?

**Oberon:** Yes.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Why?

**Oberon: **Because there is a group of highwaymen dressed like elves with cloaking magic who will steal all your goods, money, and rabbits!

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Ok.

Hinata tells the others about what Oberon said to her and that they had to find another path. Naruto then tells the others that Sasuke usually uses that name and that they should trust it. They paused and tried to formulate another plan.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Thank you.

**Oberon: **You welcome.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **How did you know it was me?

**Oberon:** Because your pajamas have white bunnies, your slippers have fuzzy bunnies, and your bathrobe is white and looks very soft and plush.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **What level are you in?

**Oberon:** Secret.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Can you see me?

**Oberon:** Yes.

**Sir Rabbity Babbity of Caerbannog: **Are you the elf with the cloaking magic?

**Oberon:** Secret

With that, Hinata and Sasuke had a long tête-à-tête causing Hinata to sometimes blush and Sasuke to choke and cough.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"So, this is where you ran off to," intruded a loud voice followed by his furry companion.

Hinata was on the beach sitting seiza style writing calligraphy on the sand with a thin piece of wood. She was so absorbed in the art that she didn't notice the intruders standing behind her. Leaning in closer, he noticed that she was elegantly rewriting the painted scrolled invite that he received by mail for this trip. Her strokes were softer compared to the one he read before. He finds a spot nearby to sit down and pats the area next to him to invite his canine friend to relax and watch the scene together. She looked perplexed for a moment when she was done but like an artist who was disappointed by the results began over again by flattening the sand into a clean slate and started afresh the process of her repetitious act.

Kiba sitting there staring at his close friend couldn't help but remember a shy and awkward girl in High School starting in a new place surrounded by unfamiliar faces. She had a hard time coping at the school and it wasn't until she was bullied that Shino and Kiba took it upon themselves to protect her. But learning first hand what negative effects were garnered from their security. Due to Kiba's popularity in television and Shino's strange hobbies, only made Hinata more dependent and overly sensitive of the stares and gossip from her classmates. It wasn't until Shino suggested that they lay low a bit and afford Hinata the opportunity to branch out and warm up to the place on her on two feet.

During that time of encouraging her to explore life for all its worth, Kiba had fallen for her but she denied him any access to her heart. Any romantic inclinations brought toward her were shot down and caused her to be distant or mad towards him. At the time she was stubborn on improving herself before returning to Japan and that was what she did. She first worked on correcting her speech impediment by reading out loud all her favorite books and poetry. She then worked on her more obvious vices like fiddling hand motions and slouching appearance. She worked on her confidence by volunteering at local charities and trying to improve her speech there as well. Shino and Kiba also promised to help by telling her when she did anything that was out of the ordinary.

He thought that she was improving herself to try and face her family as an heiress but he uncovered the mass of drawings in her trunk one day while looking for a blanket to spread on her while she was sleeping that he realized why he never stood a chance. He was angry at first but realized that he would rather her be happy than hurt so he also continued in the shadows to support her. He would always try to get the latest news that involved Naruto to bring back to her. He would always mention her good qualities when the blond idiot was around. So many years had passed that she became more like a sister that he cared very much for who never noticed his caring efforts.

Now sitting there watching her, he didn't know how to understand the recent events that unfolded before him. Remembering at the charity game how Sasuke couldn't remember who she was but went out of his way to talk to her. He saw her awkwardness around him so he always tried to cover for her escape. That day the rumors spread that the famous Sasuke who can never be tied down had found himself a lover. He wasn't sure if Hinata played a part or not but hearing that two formal kimonos were involved only made him more pessimistic of the idea due to seeing Hinata in the past having complete respect and dedicated care for her formal robes.

After that the rumors accumulated and circulated all of Konoha about a certain bride and groom appearance at the hospital and Sasuke bringing a kimono dressed lady at a different hospital. It was also a sad night when he witnessed a beautifully dressed Hinata entering a roadster that was not her car or her family's limo. He was stunned to hear from Shino the situation of her and Sasuke staying at his house but couldn't reveal the classified information until he got a call to donate toward the coming nuptials. What hurt the most was seeing first hand how she blushed when he touched her hair in the snack room earlier today. It wasn't until they were at the wedding rehearsal that it dawned on him that he had completely understood what was different about her when she was standing next to that guy.

She was still the same bashful Hinata but she now had a glow that was more radiant than the dreamy stares or sudden blushes she gave Naruto. Dressed in a one piece navy swimsuit with white plumeria design and matching sarong, accepted the navy linen jacket Sasuke was wearing and allowed him to wrap it around her before walking down the aisle. How he delicately pulled her long tresses free from his jacket collar, only made Kiba wish he was the one who was able to open that closed door in her heart. The one person that Kiba would never have matched with Hinata was at that moment looked like to him the perfect fit between two puzzle pieces that had two very different colors and designs.

"Akamaru!" exclaimed Hinata delightedly hugging the dog to make up for lost times.

"Hey, they have been looking all over for you as the luau's honored winner. You weren't trying to hide from that are you?" asked Kiba smiling knowing that Hinata hated being crowded.

She continued playing with Akamaru and suddenly asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think that getting defeated today really took much of my energy."

They both smiled knowing that today's game was really tiring but Kiba's defeat was of a different matter but his acceptance of that matter was the most draining.

"I'm gonna head back and I'll tell TenTen your whereabouts so she doesn't worry, ok," said Kiba as he motions Akamaru to follow him back.

As Kiba walks toward the glowing lights and loud music, he noticed a man in a white collared polo and long, linen white shorts walking toward him carrying some food and drinks.

"Yo!" said Kiba while motioning his hands toward a path behind him and tilts his head that way too. "She's over there past the large boulder and trees on the left. Good luck!" Kiba pats Sasuke on the back and continued walking toward the luau.

Sasuke thought that dog boy must have a lot on his mind. He continued the mentioned path and thought about how she instantly ran away when the wedding rehearsal was over. The plan was after the game was over that the ship would have docked at a nearby island. Gather everyone for a quick rehearsal with the captain at a small chapel on said island because tomorrow's events were too packed to squeeze that in and then have a luau at the island for the winners of the game. Strangely Hinata's team won on the basis that Hinata used a book that contained a clue about the king's weakness. With the new found knowledge, the boys worked up a plan that killed the king and still have 7 minutes to spare before the eight hour mark was over. More hidden talents of the Hyuga seemed to be multiplying Sasuke's list.

By the time he found her, she was scratching her head and looking at the ground. The moonlight was reflecting off his jacket that she was wearing and suddenly she mimicked the way he often undressed his upper half kimono at night when he paints. She unsleeved one arm and then the other very slowly. She performed it perfectly as if mocking him. He was taken aback that she would know his strange habit but it was the poised look she had dressed only in her bathing suit and his jacket rumpled around her waistthat instantly stole his breathe. She mimicked his meditating pose and how he always lifts his right hand across to his left very slowly and then as if inspiration was drawn that he would swiftly swing his brush down onto the parchment like a katana.

Only moving his wrist and having his left hand to support his right elbow in a quick and fluid motion, she had mimicked it down precisely. It was strange seeing someone else perform your usual habit before you but this was mystifying even. He was completely at a loss for words. As she sat back and looked at her work that she looked satisfied and smug-like that Sasuke found the opportunity to cough.

She turned toward him and as if aware of the situation instantly wraps herself up again in his sports coat. Though awkward about what he just saw, he was quite smug himself knowing that someone had been noticing him too.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Would it be rude to say that you and Hinata are an item now?" interjected Shikamaru smiling smugly.

The remark caused a certain Uchiha to miss his shot and scratched on the call he made that would have made Neji and him win finally but now was frustrated that he fell for that dirty trick. Chouji then made his call by tapping his pool stick on the anticipated pocket that will catch the eight ball that Sasuke easily set up for Chouji to follow through.

"Yes, it would be rude," replied Neji on Sasuke's behalf. All three were looking at Chouji making his shot which then ended the game. Shikamaru picks up a chalk and marks their win making the score 3-0.

"I don't see what's wrong with Sasuke dating Hinata," continued Shikamaru while rolling the pocketed balls on his side to Neji who was placing them in the rack.

"It can't be called dating if it is one-sided," voiced Neji while he meticulously removes the rack from the set of positioned balls.

"I don't know from what I saw yesterday, she looked like Sasuke did a number on her when she left that break room," instigated Shikamaru who was aiming his cue to break the nine balls set in a diamond shape.

Sasuke and Chouji were looking over the selection of cigars and tobacco while sipping on their whiskey. Sasuke turned back to the two and said, "I don't appreciate being talked about when my back is turned and secondly I did no such thing to her. I am a gentleman after all." He finally chooses a silver wrapped cigar and gives Neji a look that he was gonna sit out this game to take a break.

Chouji decided not to smoke but sat down opposite Sasuke on a leathered parlor chair with a bowl of nuts and a nut cracker relaxing his feet on the matching ottoman. Once he was comfortable he insisted, "If I remember correctly, wasn't Oberon helping a little blushing bunny yesterday too."

The comment made Sasuke choke on his recent inhalation and when he finally calmed down a bit he stated back, "Only because your team was doing so poorly yesterday that I had to step in."

Shika and Neji decided to take a break too and went over to the bar to fix another drink when Naruto, Sai, and the sand brothers came over from the other end of the parlor. Naruto had his hands in his pockets and was looking down. "I can't believe I got creamed by those two siblings!" he stated sadly and sits on the leathered sofa. Sai and Gaara went over to the bar too to change out their drinks in their hands. Kankuro sits down with Naruto and asked everyone already there of their current topic of conversation.

Chouji informs, "A union between a Uchiha and a Hyuga." All eyes were on the Uchiha, who now had choked on his whiskey and was wondering where this conversation was heading and decided that it would be safer to just sit still in his chair. He had his reading glasses on and was dressed in a light purple buttoned shirt that was unbuttoned halfway with his white undershirt peaking out and dark grey pants with dark purple suspenders hanging from his waist. He sat with his legs crossed and was leaning on one armrest while tapping his fingers on the other armrest after releasing his smoke and drink.

Neji and Shikamaru walks over and leans behind the sofa that Naruto and Kankuro were seated at. Shika finally speaks, "I think the union would be beneficial to both. Think about it. He needs to re-establish a family tree and she comes from a prominent and similar background. I see no loss here."

"NO! I will not hand over my cousin to a person who had been a women hater until recently," answered Neji looking at it from a different point. "I can't seem to understand this attraction either." Everyone around agreed except for Sasuke, who was not enjoying being the subject matter at hand.

"Sure, sure, the prick had problems with the opposite sex but I have never seen him be nice to anyone before either that is until recently," Sai said chiming in while walking toward the group with a refreshed drink and followed by Gaara.

"I do recall a strange fencing battle on the deck that I assume was for the honor of a fair Hyuga maiden," coined in Gaara.

"That was epic indeed!" agreed Naruto who was only half listening to the conversation and at the moment still giving Kankuro menacing stares.

Shino and Kiba walks over after playing some darts and asks what everyone was talking about. They answered them and Kiba takes Sasuke's unused ottoman and sits on it to say, "I think the two would be a nice couple. Different yet compatible. Maybe opposites attract, holds true for these two."

"True. The entire time at my house they were very respectable towards each other. No complaints here. As long as she is happy then I am game," encourages Shino.

"There you have it Neji. No more complaints right," asked Shikamaru.

"This isn't for Neji to decide but for her and she hasn't accepted me yet," stated Sasuke while getting up and tired of everyone looking at him.

"Look I am not giving you my blessing until I think that you are fit for her," said Neji who has known Sasuke during his dark and traumatic times and didn't want his cousin to suffer from that side of his.

"Neji you are not her father!" yelled Sasuke while walking toward the sofa. He couldn't understand how this anger came on so suddenly.

"I am the head of the clan and you will have to pass me first," confronted Neji and at this point the two were only separated by the sofa and the two occupants on it.

"She doesn't belong to you!" yelled Sasuke who already had his fist ready to fight because Neji had his arms up ready to box. Kankuro and Naruto jumps up and each tries to hold the other back when Neji grabs for Sasuke's collar. Right when Neji was about to swing, he suddenly shushes everyone to quiet, and looks around the room. The urgency in his face meant serious business and everyone understood that playtime was over. He heard a faint yet very familiar sound that felt like danger was approaching sense to it. He knew instantly what it was when he heard 'hiccup' in the far distance in the room and said fearfully, "Hell, no!"

About ten minutes earlier and down the hallway was a room filled with women being entertained by a fashion stylist introducing the latest lingerie to the bride as a gift for her luncheon bridal shower. As entertainment the stylist had every one in attendance to participate by wearing an outfit to walk down the makeshift carpeted cat walk.

"This was such a great idea, Hinata," said Ino who was tickled pink in her feather boa and feathered trimmed two pieced corseted skirt set. She also had pink thigh highs and very high stilettos to complete the outfit.

Hinata was sitting inside a changing cubicle and her group was about to walk down the aisle but she didn't want to walk with what was chosen for her. "Ino do you think you could find a more conservative set for me to try on, please!" asked Hinata from inside her changing cubicle.

Ino looks around the racks of clothes sitting in big zippered bags. Everything looks just as revealing as the pieces she herself was wearing. "I think yours might be the most covered outfit in here," replied Ino. "Let me see your outfit and I'll see if I could help you."

Hinata slowly slides her curtain to the side and walks out in a white gauze, silk multi layered ruffles baby doll top with a short collared double breasted sweater with large cuffed sleeved. She had on at the bottom a boy short low cut design ruffles undie and white thigh high. The outfit was finished with a cute ruffled heels and a bowed headband. Ino walks over and looks for the outfit's tag which read; Mary's lost her lamb set.

"Hinata, you look fine," added Ino trying to be encouraging to a trembling Hinata. "This outfit is not as revealing as your rehearsal suit."

"It's just that I didn't plan for this. I mean I knew this was a bridal shower but I didn't think the stylist made all of us dress up." Hinata was at a lose for words and what she wanted to say and was cut short from the announcement of her group's turn to showcase their wears.

Hinata tells Ino that she wants to be last in their group of five and to let everyone else go first. When it was time for Hinata to walk out she didn't see anyone in the room. That's strange did she walk into the wrong room. The tabled of sweets and drinks and chairs were in there but where were they? She noticed the opened double doors and walks out wondering where everyone was. Then she heard the screams and loud crashes coming down the hall. Running closer toward the commotion, she instantly spots some of her guest ducking for cover from furniture being thrown out the hall.

"Good Gracious!" whispered Hinata to herself and witnessing a terrible scene.

Then out of the blue, Sasuke ran out looking like he was searching for someone and then locates his target. He runs toward Hinata and picks her up over his shoulders and starts running.

"Sa," was all Hinata could say because suddenly the double doors went flying in the hall way and she saw Lee with red cheeks amongst the dust and destruction pointing at the pair running. In disbelief of what he did next, she screams, "He's coming!" Sasuke picks up his speed and yells back, "Good God woman, what are you wearing?"

In the mass of confusion, she had forgotten about what she was wearing and that he had his hands all over her thighs. Shocked, she was about to react to it, when she noticed that Lee was actually catching up to them. She couldn't get anything out her mouth so she kept hitting his back and kicking.

Furiously he stopped and put her down to scream, "What is your problem?"

She points toward the mass of destruction coming toward them; instinctually she clings to Sasuke without even thinking and says softly, "Sasuke!"

With that much encouragement, he pushes her to stand behind him as he prepares himself mentally for the upcoming threat. He prepared his stance and waited for Lee's attack. Strangely though, Lee just halted right before the two from his chase and smiles which gave off chills running down his targets spines.

Sasuke took this opportunity to swing a punch but Lee moved to the side. Sasuke threw some more punches and Lee responded the same as before. He tried to distance Hinata from Lee and kept slowly walking backward but every step they took, Lee took a step forward.

Suddenly from behind Lee, Gaara had been pursuing him and jumped on his back to restrain Lee while Neji not far behind comes up to whack Lee right on the neck area that causes Lee to fall to the ground incapacitated. Gaara and Neji were completely out of breath and lying on the ground until TenTen and the others came.

As they dispersed, Neji pulls Sasuke aside and said sternly, "You may court her but that is all, understood!" Neji left Sasuke wondering what brought that about.

Sasuke walked her back to her room and she offered to clean up his cuts. As she was cleaning his cut near his eyes, he saw tears flowing down her cheeks and her hands were still trembling while applying his ointment. He took the cotton swab from her hands, put it down, and wiped her tears with his hands. They were sitting on the couch in her suite and he immediately shortened their distance and put his arms around her. She didn't push him away or seem hesitant from his touch so he tightened his hold on her. After a while she seemed to calm down and he leaned back on the couch to get more comfortable and she leaned in to lie on his side. He closed his eyes and thanked Lee for this sudden opportunity and thought to himself, "I'd face off a drunken Lee everyday if this was the result each and every day." They both fell asleep from exhaustion but his was a sweet dream because the smile on his face was one of complete bliss.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The water looks cool and refreshing, she thought. Hinata just woke up earlier in the arms of the man who rescued her from a bizarre disaster and to top it off she was dressed in an outfit that barely covered her body. She was now dressed for the evening event which she was supposedly attending the musical production down in the grand theatre and later to enjoy a relaxing night in the gallery for some entertainment in a jazzy casino setting. The dress attire was the roaring twenties era and theme was "Gangsters and Dolls." Later in the night, the real bachelor and bachorlette party begins with the men and women splitting into two different halls to participate in a male poker and women mahjong tournament with the dealers being of the opposite sex dealing at each tournament and scantily dressed.

Hinata remembering so well, how so many men came in suits to audition as dealers. The ad only stated that dealers experienced in all table games were needed for a 3 day cruise. Shino found it quite difficult to pick out the women, seeing that they were all in his dictionary as intellectually well rounded. All the people came had to fill out a questionnaire that would see if they would be able to perform in costumes that may be a bit uncomfortable. Sasuke wanted no part in this but said that he would supervise Hinata's screenings after all. The female poker dealers were dressed in cute cocktail-like outfits with coattail jackets and the mahjong dealers were dressed in wife beater shirts and suspenders, black pants, and red fedora single featured hats. Shino helped picked out the female uniforms while blushing but Hinata wondered if Shino was secretly wishing if they were dressed as faeries instead.

Hinata was dressed in a mid calf length white floral crocheted, crystal beading muslin flapper evening dress. Her hair was slightly curled and all pinned underneath in the back. She had a large white head band with small bunches of purple lilac at each end protruding from the back end of her ears. Her bangs had a light finger wave and some loose curly strands cascading from the sides of her headband. She had taken off her mary jane heels and her thigh high stockings. Her legs were making waves on the pool water surface and distorting the starry sky's reflection.

She was contemplating the level of their friendly relationship. At this moment it seemed as though they had been through a great deal this past month. Compared to their first encounter, they definitely reached a level that could be much more. Even though she was unsure of what that meant, she was willing to give that guy a chance at whatever it was that he was looking for. Maybe he could lead her in this awkward dance that everyone had taken a chance in. Compared to everyone else's, theirs were definitely different.

TenTen and Neji had a deep respect for one another that must have started long before they dated a mutual respect that Hinata hopes to someday achieve. They were matched in brawns and brains throughout their academics and careers. Shikamaru and Temari had a clandestine relationship that wasn't even declared until the announcement of the grand engagement that shocked Konoha's press and media. It was because both came from different cities, famous families and Temari being the older partner made the headlines. They had a relationship that didn't care what others thought of them, where age and fame were of no relevance.

Ino and Sai's relationship had an interesting courtship. Where he was introverted and she was out going. She lived in the lime-light and he lived in the shadows. He was blunt and she was bubbly. But somewhere in between she gave up her fascinating career and he gave up his deadline scheduled career for the other. The greatest gift one could offer the other, where one partner had to slow down and the other had to speed up and they met up half way, was just truly romantic to Hinata. Naruto and Sakura were for the longest a one sided relationship while the other side was in complete denial that is until recently. Even when she was hopelessly in love with him, she sometimes felt that they were very much compatible to each other. Sakura was smart and easily angered whereas he was endearing and goofy. All the couples had a unique flare that Hinata could only watch from the sidelines and admire from afar.

And now that Naruto and Sakura were tying the knot tomorrow, she felt that this trip was worth all the trouble to end her long, fruitless, one sided feelings toward the adorable, immature, bold, and wonderful guy. She had been watching him for so long that she lost track of her happiness and her heart.

Looking at the starry reflection on the water, she wondered if she were to jump in the deep side would it feel like the same feeling if she were to float in space where the stars reside. Suddenly two hand palms appeared and covered her sight. "What would you want if you guessed right?" asked the familiar voice with the hands covering her eyes.

"Hmmm, maybe a few sincere answers," she answers smiling. He lifts his hands, sits down next to her, and sticks his legs in the pool. Hinata looks at his rolled up pants and then turns around to see his socks tucked neatly in his shoes. She then looks at him and smiles knowing that he must have been watching her for awhile now. And they both giggle knowing that he was caught. He was still wearing the same clothes and his glasses were hanging from his pockets.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked finally.

"It was warm." She looked the other way and he wondered if she was blushing just thinking about it. "Earlier were you looking for me when you ran out the hall?" she asked inquired.

"Yes," he answered sheepishly.

"Why in all the chaos did you have the gumption to look for me?"

He couldn't believe that she was this curious. "Look, when scandalously dressed women appeared, I had a feeling that you were somewhere in that group."

"Oh. Then why did you pick me up?" she asked earnestly.

He didn't like how this was going. "I just assumed that you being there and dressed like that meant that I had to bring you to a safe place."

"Then why didn't you kiss me when you had the chance in my room," looking straight at him this time.

He leaned in wondering if this was an illusion. "I'd like to think that I am a perfect gentleman."

She leaned in closer and said, "You kissed me on the terrace after you carried me off."

'Damn this woman, she's good,' he thought to himself. "Maybe, I just wanted you to make the first move," he whispered back.

"Oh." As if the light bulb above her head lighted up, figured out the riddle and she went back to her side and him still leaning toward her.

He sat back up and was confused but he thought that he liked that unpredictable side of hers too.

"You said before about how you were at the Tokyo Tower thinking about what you would want from me. What were those wants?"

Feeling bashful, he couldn't possibly tell her that he wanted her to call his name when she was sleeping, how he wished she held pictures of him in her room, wished she drew images of him on her bed, wished she made him the center of her polarity, fell in love with the songs that he liked, looked at him and blushes, just the touch of him and it would send her fainting, God how envious he was of all things Hinata that had anything to do with the blonde idiot. He finally answers, "All of you."

She took his left hand that was next to her and began to trace her fingers on his palm side. She did it for a while as if thinking about what to say next and then as if motivated she began with "These sturdy hands that touch the earth everyday, should be able to feel the goose bumps that appears when you are near." She gracefully and lightly brushes his palm over her left forearm. "Like an electrical current that intensifies as I get closer." He had goose bumps popping everywhere from that last statement.

But somehow underneath all that happiness floating around him, there was this uneasiness that he couldn't figure out. She then continued, "These artistic hands that mold the earth everyday, should be able to hear my heart racing when you are near." She slowly lifts his hand to her neck where her pulsating artery was speedily beating.

She was still talking but he was in a state of complete madness. He realized what was puzzling him. Even though her words were earnest and sweet, he couldn't understand the repulsion and aggravation increasing as she spoke. Even though hers was original and heart felt, he couldn't comprehend the distaste and annoyance that developed suddenly. Was this affect, what Neji had always warned him about being a woman hater would do to him. About how he gets turned off when he gets confessed to or woman flirting with him was completely aggravating.

He was still staring at her and she was moving his hand from her cheeks to her chest or maybe aiming for heart he wasn't sure but he knew that he had to stop her if he ever wanted this woman to be his. He was happy but this irritation was definitely not sitting well in his guts. The urge to run away was so strong that he practically rushed these words out to her without even thinking of the consequences, "Hinata, please stop I can't take anymore of what you are saying." He takes his hands back and feeling really bad was trying hard to come up with an explanation but when he looked back at her he couldn't believe the look in her lost eyes.

She slowly stood up, legs dripping from the water, and looking around as if she had wondered into the wrong place. When she spots her shoes and stockings, she picks those up and was about to walk away when he grabs her arm. "Please let me explain."

As he got up she nods her head in a confused manner and looking down the entire time then suddenly says, "Please unhand me and be gone from my sight."

He felt disgusted with himself but how do explain to someone who just had enough courage to confess that her confession was repulsive to him. He let go of her hands and walked away hating himself.

She stood there starring at the water while tears were slowly trailing her face and unto her muslin dress. She dived in the water hoping that the cold water would drown her tears and wash away her pain. She never thought a second rejection would feel this horrible. She swam toward the shallow side of the pool when suddenly somebody comes crashing into the water above her. She turns over mid-swim to face the diver.

By the time she faced her attacker; he had his arms around her and was kissing her. She kissed him back with the same fervor as his and they were swept along with the current of the pool. This time the kiss was sweet and savoring. When they reached the open air, they were still at it and even unrelenting. It wasn't until she felt his glasses pressed against her and pinching against her skin that she remembered who exactly this person was. She pushed him back and slapped him with all the power she had left and it wasn't much. "Who the hell, do you think you are?" she screamed at him.

"I thought you were committing" he was explaining but was cut off.

"No, you thought wrong. Sasuke Uchiha, I would not give up my life to the likes of you. You are the most contradictable person I have ever met. You are selfish, condescending, rude, and unbelievably dishonest. Do you enjoy breaking women' hearts everywhere you go? You are secretive about so many things, you attack innocent people even in their first meeting, you like being the hero to damsels in distress, and you conned your way into my broken heart and smashed it into little pieces right before my eyes. You are the one who doesn't deserve to live. May you die with the rest of your cursed lineage." She said all of that in one breath and slowly turned around and walked toward the stairs of the pool. Inside she really didn't want to say that but she was so hurt that she wanted something just as hurtful to crush him.

Suddenly she halted at the stairs to his sudden rebuttal. "Don't you dare do the I am holier than thou crap. You are the cruelest person I have ever met. You have denied me any opportunity of my masculinity. You are oblivious to my charms, you refuse all my attempts at even friendship, and you work so damn hard when it comes to others that you forget about your self. You think you could push me away with a friendship treaty that I must remind you is completely null and void now. You are so unbelievably cute and beautiful that you don't even know that it drives me crazy. For peat sakes please eat something because for awhile there I thought you like being the damsel in distress with all this fainting going on lately." She stood there listening to all that and when he was done she slowly walked away. Not once looking back or retrieving her heels and stockings.

That night the ship docked at the island. Everyone woke up at noon the next day and checked into the Naruto's recently acquired resort. The wedding occurred just as planned and the two bridesmaid and groomsmen had played their role as best as they could. And when the reception was over they both packed up and caught the earliest flight out of that island not waiting to be on the same flight as everyone else. Even though they were on the same plane they didn't acknowledge the other's existence. It was like their lives continued from before that fateful night. Like two marbles in a marble bag that only had one interaction the entire life of the played marbles. It made a loud clank and never clanked again. That was what the two people sitting in the first class carriage were thinking.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"Sasuke, can you move that box up there." Naruto was motioning toward the upstairs where his bedroom was or the room that Sakura and he will be sharing now. He was blushing profusely just thinking about it.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his friend and marched upstairs with the mid sized box. He agreed to come over to eat but didn't expect to help unpack her things. Stupid idiot just happened to let his house staff go on Christmas vacation this month. It's been almost a month since the wedding and he still didn't want to be alone. He needed social interaction to keep his mind busy and he didn't want the blonde troublemaker to know his problem or he would make a big deal out of it which only meant involving Naruto's wife and the rest of the Konoha gang butting into his business.

He placed the box down on the bed and glanced in it to see what was inside. The box had computer disks, office supplies and what nots so he decided to bring it to the office. Naruto had a spiral staircase added in High School that led to a loft that was reminiscent to a cathedral tower. It juts upward from the back of the mansion awkwardly. Naruto had it commissioned after a trip they took together with the boys in Italy for two weeks during one summer break in Middle School. As he ascends the stairs, the lights filter the stairway from the bay windows above and a song from an anime that Naruto is watching lately was playing.

Upon entering the room, he couldn't believe the mess and stacked boxes lumbering in the octagon shaped office. He finally made it to the desk and placed the box down on the cluttered table. The music was playing on the computer and curiously he snuck a peek at the screen. Photos from the wedding were slowly flashing randomly on the screen saver. Finally a picture of the main cast from the wedding poses in front of the altar of the abandoned church.

He touches the screen of a certain lady who was forcing a smile and averted her eyes in the opposite direction of where he was posing. The screen changes to more pictures of the sad female in a beautiful white draping dress and hair cascading to one side. He noticed that every picture was completely lifeless compared to the blushing and sweet woman he spent planning for this event. The next picture was a picture of the same woman posing with him in the formal wear viewing room. She looked frightened and scared to be standing next to him. It brought back memories of their first kiss which eventually made him reminiscent about their consensual and breathtaking second kiss.

"Hey did you want a copy of the pictures? Sakura made copies for everyone and I think yours is somewhere around here," Naruto offers while he places some shoeboxes on the floor and digs through some boxes nearby. "I can't thank ya'll enough for that cruise. You and Hinata were so awesome. The entire trip everyone kept talking about how much fun they had." He walks over and puts his arms around him and says, "Thanks. You and Hinata gave me the most memorable gift ever." He slips a chip in Sasuke's shirt pocket and continues down the stairs for more unpacking.

"Yeah, it was memorable alright," he said out loud to himself.

He went downstairs and was welcomed by Sakura who just came home from work and he wondered if he should go home to a lonely place now that the other noisy half was home. When it came to Sakura, he didn't have much patience for her somehow. It was unexplainable how he had put up with her all these years. Out of all the females that chased him in the past, she was the most obnoxious and stubborn. She would wait at his doorsteps early in the morning, latched onto him the entire time at school which was throughout elementary, middle, high school and the throughout his college campus life, and finally made sure he walked into his house every single night. Anyone would blow their brains out from such determination and admiration.

He didn't hate her he just didn't like the attention she gave him and the constant invasion of his privacy. He had a constant upfront stalker and multitudes of adoring fans constantly following him at all times. He felt that there were two types of people that admired him: the ones that confess and the ones that treat him like a prized token. Confessions came at him like water from a faucet. It gushed at him and it soon became grotesque and disgusting. Women and their heart felt lies thrown at him only infuriated him. His school and gym lockers were always filled with notes of adoration and secret crushes. He always felt that they were lies because eventually the girl would fall haplessly in love with the next fool that walks by and gives her some attention.

Confessions were the last act from a girl that completely disgusted him because once he turns them down; he knew that she would go running into the arms of the next guy that came along. Their admiration for him was like one for a celebrity. Like how a naive fan can write a love letter to their favorite artist but not expect anything from it because it was just a whimsical and fickle act and the next new artist comes along and they gain a new found admiration. Most of his fan girls were of this sort and he was the thrown away celebrity who was only good as topics of conversations whenever he made an appearance.

The second kind was the ones that treated him like a prized possession. Whenever he gave a girl just a little bit of attention, they acted proud and flaunted him around which only infuriated him more. Out of the two, these were the worst. It only showed their true ugliness and narcissistic side. He hated all his fan girls, whom Shikamaru termed it in grade school of those girls chasing him were and has been calling them that since and even now that he was in his late twenties. By next year, he would be hitting the big three o.

"Sakura, why did you order so much sushi?" asked Naruto while he was picking at the large colorful selection.

"Oh, the girls are coming by for a small 'New Home' party," answered Sakura as she tried to quickly clear up some of the boxes in the living room.

Sasuke knew that it was his time to exit the premises now that he knew a certain person was going to show up. "Guys, I think I am gonna call it a night."

"Why are you leaving? It's just our usual friends," encouraged Naruto.

"You know how I feel about woman."

"No."

"Right. Anyway, you better get ready to play host as a newlywed couple. Good Luck," encouraged Sasuke as he pats a smiling, dazed looking Naruto on the back.

Just as he was putting on his trench and outer wear accessories, the door bell rang. 'Too late' he thought.

"Sasuke can you get that, please," asked Sakura from the kitchen.

He took a long breathe and continued toward the large double glass doors. He heard all the familiar voices and saw distorted figures on the other side of the glass and wondered if she was there. He wondered if she was doing well, if she was dressed warmly, or if he would be able to talk to her again. Finally he opened the doors not sure of what exactly he was hoping to see on the other side.

But to his disappointment, she wasn't there. It was only TenTen, Temari, and Ino with champagne and pastries.

"Sasuke, did you just arrive?" asked Temari while she pats him on the shoulders.

"No, actually I was on my way out. Ladies please forgive my absence and have an entertaining night on my behalf," he said with a smile.

As the three entered, he exited but was stopped by TenTen's sudden, "Ahem." She slips a paper in his outer pocket of his Italian black coat. She continued, "Go and be swift."

He didn't understand why she would help him. He didn't know if he should thank her or refuse the offer. He looked completely hopeless in front of her.

TenTen leans in and whispers, "Every year on this date, a certain person goes missing because she doesn't want to be seen. I think it is about time that she goes out of her hiding." With that she closes the double doors, leaving a bewildered Sasuke wondering what to do next.

He gets in his car and didn't dare to look at the paper. How could he face her after all this time? He hadn't forgiven himself so how could she forgive him. He sighs as he turns on the engine. It's strange how she was invisible in his life before and now suddenly she was everywhere. Memories of her lingered in his car, he could envision her when he wrote his calligraphy, she appeared in his artworks, and even visiting a friend, her face was there.

All of a sudden, his cell phone rang. When he looked at the caller ID it showed her name, Rabbity Babbity. He looked around his car and couldn't believe the irony or blessing that was brought forth before him. Slowly he presses the accept option and speaks, "Hello." There was a pause on the other end and he thought that this must be very hard for her.

"Hello, my name is Hinata Hyuga and I am an associate of Mr. Orochimaru at the Cultural Center. Please forgive me for my intrusion but on his phone list, you were listed under family so I made the assumption to call and inform you of his current state. He had a heart attack and is now in the hospital. I think that if you wish to see him then please come to the main Konoha Hospital. He is on the third floor of the ICU. I must go now and inform others so please if you know anyone else who needs to be here then do relay the message. Thank you very much for your time. Good bye." With that she hung up and the only sound left was the dial tone.

He wondered if she knew it was him or that she purposely acted as though she didn't know him. The hardest part was knowing that his calligraphy teacher, whom he had been under his training when he was in college and never got along with but learned all the skills he needed, was in the hospital. It also hurt knowing that his teacher had put his name under his family listing. His teacher was proud and condescending. Sasuke never really liked him but respected his skills and talents and knew that he could learn from that person.

There was a time where Sasuke himself didn't know if he wanted to be an artist or if he should follow in his family footsteps. There was a period where he couldn't bring himself to the family studios to work with the earthen materials that lay before him. It was Neji and Naruto who insisted that he continued to hone his talents in ceramics. It was like a dark period in his life where he didn't want to do anything but spend the remaining Uchiha clan inheritance on a life that took away the pain.

For awhile he holed himself up at the family city studio and everyday a friend would take turn to bring him food and made sure he was working on the crafts. They always bought interesting things for him that might become inspiration to his art. It wasn't until he got a book from Kiba. It was a book of pictures of various English flowers. Kiba explained that he got the book one year as a gift but was never into it and thought that Sasuke might find it interesting. It was as if the colors danced before him in ways that he had never seen them before. The movement of the petals and the stems were erotic and beautiful. He remembered carving day and night until he was satisfied with one piece that showed enough talent for him to realize that the Uchiha blood was definitely flowing through him.

After that flower inspiration period, he went out of his way to become a student of Mr. Orochimaru. He kneeled in front of the artist's home for two days and two nights until the man relented and allowed him the privilege of studying under him. He had to clean his teacher's house, cook for him, and other chores just to be able to learn calligraphy from a true master. During that time he gave up so much such as hanging out with his friends and hanging out at places where he enjoyed. All the memories of his hard work came flowing back to him. He may not have liked his teacher he certainly respected him for his talents and being able to turn his selfish behaviors toward a meaningful career.

By the time he made it to third floor of the Hospital, she was sitting on a bench wearing a more casual dark purple kimono. Her outerwear kimono was laid next to her. She looked like she was nodding off and about to fall asleep. Her eyes even in a closed state looked puffy and tired.

"Hinata," he said softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She instantly as if instinctual, hugs him and began telling the story of how she met Mr. Orochimaru at the Cultural Center where he hangs out at with friends to play Go. She told him of how he was always mean but she knew that behind all that bluntness and sly words was someone who was very lonely. He was an acquaintance of hers that she bought fruits to eat on occasion when she had tea classes to teach there. But now sadly, the man had passed away and that she was waiting for a relative of his to show up and relay the news.

He didn't have the heart to tell her that he was the one that she called earlier. They were both sad and continued hugging until Hinata slowly pushes him away and says, "I must apologize for my rude behavior. It shall never happen again. I'll go and prepare the paperwork for him now. Good bye." As she was about to bow, he grabbed her hand to say, "I'll do the paperwork. You must be tired. You go ahead home and get some rest."

With that she curtly said farewell and left with her belongings. As he stood there watching her walk away, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks. He whispered out loud as she turned the corner, "Happy Birthday, Hinata."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Hinata before you leave, may I have a word with you?"

They were adjourning from their clan meeting that had discussed the upcoming New Year's preparations and festivities and end of the year closures. She turned back around and faced her cousin, "Yes."

"I heard that your division had already turned in all their fiscal year end reports. That is a feat to be proud of as the Director of that division."

"Yes, I am very proud of my group. Thank you."

"Hinata I know that this is sudden but I also wanted to discuss with you the possibilities of a marriage interview. That is only an option if you have no suitors at present," offered Neji. He had noticed her strange appearance at the wedding and abrupt disappearance afterwards. She had lost weight and hadn't been talking to TenTen like she used to. She had devoted long hours in the office ever since she left the island. He was worried that it was his fault for allowing Sasuke the permission to court her.

She, on the other hand, was shocked that it had come to this. She was past the age to be considered for matrimony and Neji had given her more freedom than compared to her father's parenting methods; but she just couldn't believe that the dreadful day had come for her to choose a life partner by means of a matchmaker because she couldn't find one herself. "I have no such person at present," she replied.

"Hinata I only bought this up because it is one of uncle's last wishes. I personally would want you to live only for your happiness. Just consider the option and next year before you turn thirty we will continue this conversation." Neji was still sitting seiza style and began drinking his tea. Hinata excused herself understanding that this conversation was even more difficult for him to speak about.

She had returned to her room and was getting ready for the funeral. It was scheduled to occur soon and she was now running a bit late. She dressed in her funeral robes and made one quick look in the mirror. She hated funerals. They were depressing and morbid. What she hated the most was that she knew the person being buried. They were not close but he passed away on her birthday and finding out that he had no relations but a student under the family listing in his phone was a number saved as 'the bastard.'

Seeing Sasuke at the hospital made her realize that he was the so called bastard whom she called to inform about the Master in Calligraphy's tragic incident. She also recalled how the deceased in the past used to speak ill of a student that was spoiled and selfish. She could only assume that it was him also.

Arriving at the service and seeing him kneeling with another student with glasses at the mourning service, was sad and gut-wrenching. She remembered long ago when she attended his clan's funeral and seeing a small boy all alone at the front with multitudes of plaque names and flowers instantly brought tears to her eyes and now here he was representing as the closest relative to a man that wasn't even related to him. She lined up to offer her condolences and when it was her turn, she didn't even look at the flowered coffin before her but at the sad eyes starring back at her. She wanted to take away that sadness and completely free him from this agony that he was facing alone.

She couldn't understand the impulse that pulled her toward him suddenly and what made her utter these words, "Please take me away." As if his instincts kicked in and immediately stood up and led her away in the middle of the service. He opened the passenger side of his car and she sat inside without even thinking about the many stares and cameras clicking. She didn't care who she was or that this man had hurt her. All she wanted was for both their pain to leave them mentally and physically.

After driving around for what felt like forever, he stopped the car on the side of the road and looked at her. This time his stare made her blush because it was as if he saw right through her. As if he could see her palpitating heart and all her other senses heightened from that stare. She turned toward the window to avoid his stare and saw the most beautiful sight ever. The first snow of the year and without thinking she opened her door and stepped outside to greet the late guest of winter season's merriment.

He had walked up to her side, took her hand, gave her a look that said, 'Come there is more fun up ahead,' and led her into the public park playground. They walked under the metal arches of the play lot and she couldn't understand the sense of familiarity of the place. It was cold outside and no one was around. They reached the play gym and he released her hands and offered her a seat on the swing. Watching him sit in his swing, she finally spoke, "Were you always a gentleman?"

"What makes you think that I am not one," he replied while swinging himself at her unmoving swing causing her to tighten her grip on the chains. After catching her balance she looked at him and saw that he was more relaxed compared to the lost look he displayed at the service. They both looked at the scenery before them. It looked like Mr. Winter had sprinkled its magic on the two by changing their views on the world.

When the weather became too unbearable for the two, they began their track back to the car. Inside he had turned on the engine and heater. While fiddling with the buttons and knobs, he asked her, "Where do you go shopping?"

"Pardon me," she was not understanding where this was going.

"We can't be walking about with these garments, can we?" he points at her robes and his and it finally dawned on her that they just disrespectfully left in the middle of Mr. Orochimaru's service. The guilt was slowly eating her insides wanting to tell him to return to the place but suddenly he grabbed her hand as if understanding and said "I know a great place that you will like." With that he drove off while the snow was still sprinkling its magic on them.

They reached a small boutique consignment shop that Hinata didn't know existed. By the time she walked in, she couldn't believe what looked small outside was actually a long warehouse-like on the inside. There were so many clothes that she didn't know where to start looking at. He instantly started grabbing things and handing them to her. By the time he pushed her in the dressing room he yelled over the closed curtains, "Have fun in there ok." She could hear walk away. The store had jazz music playing and she could hear Sasuke in the background making instrument sound effects to the song. She wondered if he was like this at home all alone just playing air drums and saxophones at home alone.

She started rummaging through his selection and found a cardigan fitted navy dress that reached past her knees and three quarter length sleeves. Curiously she yelled over the curtain, "How did you find this place?" Suddenly the curtains opened and he grabbed her hand and shoved her toward the multitudes of shoes.

"I come here for my disguises," he said while trying on some hats. "The owner is used to me. He's across the street eating his lunch around this time but he leaves his place open because no body really knows about this place. I stumbled in here one day from one of my great vanishing acts and liked it since."

She finally found a pair of heels and he picked out her coat. He ended up with a black turtleneck, long grey sports coat and black pinstriped pants. He placed some money on the counter and a note to mail the garments to the kimono specialist for cleaning.

"Why did you forward that to her?" asked Hinata.

"I just thought that she might like some fresh gossip for the New Year," he said while smiling wickedly.

"Come, we have a whole day ahead of us." He dragged her back in the car and they went off again.

She was surprised because he had driven them to the amusement park. She looked at him and said, "But its cold and snowing."

"Nobody said that we had to be conventional," he was looking at the ferris wheel and then back at her. "I never really went on a date before so shall we?"

"Yes, please," she answered back innocently for she had never been on a date or visited an amusement park either.

They ate at the many booths and played various carnival games. Then all of a sudden, she drops her candy and drink to run toward a large oversized rabbit with pink ears and paws and big black eyes. She looked at him and was about to say that she wanted it but he had already paid the guy at the stall and was throwing darts like his life was depended on it.

Soon they were walking toward the big ferris wheel with a jimmy rigged oversized bunny on his back held up like a book bag and a big triumphant smile spread across his face.

After waiting forever in line, they finally got in a booth and relaxed their tired limbs from today's excitement. They rode the ride in peace looking at the sky and all its beauty. From up there it looked like Mr. Winter had painted most of the city with its paint brush to announce his late arrival to the rest of the city and the shifting to the New Year.

She was captivated by the beauty of the sun setting and the different colors swirling around the sky that she didn't notice that someone was moving in for a kiss but she ruined it by announcing their next activity when she jumped from her seat excitedly. When she turned toward him to tell him, he had turned the other way from embarrassment and blushing from just thinking about what could have happened.

Later she made him stop at a convenient store and she came out with a large bag and she then directed him to a large building in the downtown district of Konoha. She took out a key and opened the big hall. "How do you have a key to a place like this?" he asked.

"Because I am the founder of this building," she said while pointing at the engraved sign next to the large doors. They went inside and were greeted by a security guard who instantly recognized Hinata and allowed their passage up the stairs. "How did you 'found' this place?" he asked suddenly.

"This was my first and last project as VP of the Corporation and the reason for my demotion. This place used to be one of the first tea houses built by my family but my father was going to sell it to the near by grocery store as a parking lot. I defied him and had this place issued as a historical landmark and donated it to the Cultural Association whose mission is to educate the youth of our nation of our arts, culture and traditions. They wanted to name it after me but I decided that a Cultural Center was just fine to me," she explained all that while climbing the stairs.

Finally they reached the door to the roof of the building. "Shsss," she had her index finger over her mouth and continued, "This is my secret hiding spot and if you dare expose me, I will kill you." She motioned a knife like cut across her neck which gave him goose bumps just thinking that she could be so damn cute.

Upon entering the rooftop, he was surprised to see a gazebo of sorts with many plastic covered plants. She motions him to sit down at the bench and she runs off to come back later with a bucket of water and several blankets. She laid out the blankets on the bench and started unpacking the bag. She had purchased fireworks, drinks, and snacks. He was amazed and wondered if she did this on her birthday every year. Curiously, he asked, "What do you do on your birthday?"

"Hmm, I visit my parents, the orphanage, and then I come here as a guest teacher for tea ceremony and sometimes dance."

"You know how to dance?" he stated and realized who he was talking to.

Bravely she said, "Here I'll show you." She walked to an opening, closed her eyes as if she was tuning the sound out and playing the music in her head. She lifts her hands as if she was holding two fans. She began as if languid and sad. But the rhythm picks up suddenly as if the story had met its conflict and then the dance became more dramatic like it was nearing the climax. Even in heels and western clothing, she was dazzling to watch, she was so different from when they first met. The scared person had somehow warmed up to him and became comfortable enough to show the other sides of her. The story ends and she crumbles in defeat in a kneeling position and arms covering her face.

She peeks from her make believe fans to see his reaction but instead he was right before her and leaning closer. She could see his breath from the cold air and brushing against her. She said meekly, "I am not good at this." He smirked and slyly replied, "No, you are perfect." He leaned in closer but she had already crashed unto him, lips first. The kiss this time was heated from the cold air and heightened by the long awaited anticipation.

By the time she came up for air, she hurriedly said, "I'm sorry I said all those mean things to you."

"I'm sorry I didn't know what to do with your confession. I really have this problem that I must work on with my issues with women. And"

She grabbed his collar with swollen lips and heated cheeks and said loudly, "Frankly I don't give a damn, just kiss me." They kissed under the starry sky and a very happy smiling moon.

They eventually went back in his car and talked all night until sunrise and then they both hiked up the temple near the Uchiha Graveyard. They were the first ones there to make their New Year's wish. They each bought a charm for the other and wrote on wish paper that was later folded and tied to the tree limbs. Both wished the other a Happy New Year which ended their first date.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

She couldn't believe that someone had beaten her to the Uchiha graveyard that morning and had already adorned each gravestone with a single red rose. She continued placing her single white rose next to the red ones and made her respects at each gravestone like she did the year before. It had been more than three months since that New Year incident and they have been openly dating since.

Since then, it had been completely exhausting and tiring for both. After Sasuke brought her home that morning, they were both instructed to meet at a family meeting which also had TenTen and Hanabi present. Hinata remembered well the troubled look that Neji had as the two entered the Hyuga family dinning hall.

"What were you two thinking?" Neji was rubbing the area between his eyes and suddenly turned toward Sasuke, "You. This is your fault. How dare you sully my cousin's name? Sasuke Uchiha, I demand you take full responsibilities for your actions."

Suddenly Sasuke leans towards Neji who happen to be sitting at the head of the table and confusedly whispers, "You want us to get married?" That exact moment and comment, caused all three women present to choke on their morning tea.

"This is not a discussion for a shot gun wedding. I meant correcting the public image of both of our family names," clarified Neji. Neji was mad because news of the famous couple was plastered all over the newsstands with photos of them exiting the once well known artist's funeral service. Once news of the incident was made public and brought to his attention, the phones had been ringing off the hook.

Somehow sitting at the table staring at her usual teacup, made Hinata think about her ceremonial tea cup and she instantly came up with an idea to make amends with the public and both parties. She stood up and said, "Dear cousins and sister, I apologize for my reckless behavior and for the effects which have caused my family to suffer." She offered a bow and when she straightened up, she continued, "Please let me make the proper amends that will justify both our family names. Give us one week to prepare a presentation at the next board meeting and we will show you the efforts of our synergism." With that Hinata excused both her and Sasuke and began dragging him to her room.

Once in the room, he asked, "Are we working on having a baby?"

"You have a one track mind but that's not a bad idea. No, no! Stop changing the subject please."

She started looking for something in her well organized and spacious closet. She reappeared with a wooden box in hand. She brought it to him where he was sitting on her bed and asked, "Can you reproduce a piece from one of your relatives?"

Sasuke placed the box on his lap and slowly removed the lid. Inside was a large thin bowl that he recognizes immediately. He looks up at her and asked, "Why this piece?" She explained to him the story about how she came about owning it and he started laughing.

"Do you know who made this?" she asked curiously and he suddenly wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her forward causing both to land on the bed together. He sneaks a small kiss on her lips, she then bashfully snuggles on his chest and he questions, "Do you really want to know." She nods her head, he smiles, and shows her the underside of the cup, "Do you see this mark right here and this number to the side?"

He enlightened her on the family trademark, labeling, and signature preferences which only made her realize that she had purchased Sasuke's fifth ceramic ware that he labeled from his first batch. The first three labeled were buried with his family and forth was unearthed by Hinata at their first meeting. That forth cup was also a matching piece to the fifth but he wasn't going to share that privileged fact because it was actually inspired by a little elementary school girl who didn't know how to ride a bike and he couldn't remember her name; which was why he had sold his cup because he had no intention of meeting the girl again.

The reason Hinata bought up the cup was that, she planned to present them at the next meeting, an idea of a mass produced ceramic piece to be sold on Valentine's Day and White Day with a new sample of tea that she had been dabbling with the past year. She had in mind a simple poem entitled "A Gentle Breeze" where the first half was written in calligraphy on the Valentine's Day teacup and the other half was written on the White Day teacup. A simple poem that expresses the lonely plum flower and how she found happiness with a wind that drifted her to new and exciting places.

The Valentines cup would be more masculine like the one she found at Sasuke's compound and the White Day cup would be more feminine like her cup. Each cup would be beautifully packaged in boxes in the same design as the teacup and enclosed with several samples of the new brews she would later select. They would be a perfect set once the couple owned both. A gift that could be shared with later generations of how the couple exchanged a tea set made for two. Hinata wanted to produce it as a one time only exclusive piece as an announcement to the public of the couple's courtship.

Surprisingly the presentation at the board meeting was a success and they approved the idea to begin production. Sasuke went straight to work on making a large order of tea sets with the help of some friends while Hinata stayed at the tea fields for several days supervising the order of her unique blend of tea leaves.

Advertising for the products were plastered on all the billboards and news media. It was the most talked about sensation and trend before it even made it to the shelves. The marketing for the tea sets spread far and wide making the Uchiha and Hyuga union famous. Rumors and stories of the couple was elaborated and made their courtship sound like a legendary fairytale especially when it became a widespread story on the internet and cell phones and translated in every language. Luckily women found Hinata to be charming so the hate mail and jealous stares eventually ended.

By the time they had the Valentines tea sets hit the shelves; they were sold out because girls had camped outside the stores awaiting the new products. Since the sales for Valentines were a success, the marketing for the White Day gift set was targeting the male audience who received the first tea set. Amazingly by March the tea cups were sold out by boys who were coerced by their girlfriends to make the same sacrifice and camp outside the stores too.

Hinata couldn't believe the success of the cups and how it enhanced their family name and status. As she drove toward the Uchiha compound for her appointment, she was amazed at the double rolls of cherry and plum trees aligning the path road to the compound. She was so shocked that she had to stop her car and walk down the path road to enjoy the scenery in person.

It had been a year since she had been here and now it was beautiful. She was dressed in jeans and a simple T because she was going to tidy up the compound again. She loved the breeze and the swirling drifting petals surrounding her. She practically ran down the dirt road thinking that Sasuke must have had these trees planted here. She was wondering how he had the time to do this when they had both been so busy lately.

By the time she reached the compound doors, she couldn't believe how clean the doors and walls were. Even the pathway that ran along the walls has been paved in cement. A new engraved family name plaque was hung up. She was impressed with the trees but now this, she had to pinch herself.

She opened the doors with the keys he gave her the other day and again surprised at the changes and renovation made on the corridors and courtyards. She continued toward the next corridor and like she had prepared for him last year, there was an envelope with her name on it and perched on a plant stand that now had a plant on it and polished. Someone did a better job than I did last year, she thought to herself. Upon opening the envelope, it directed her to make preparations in the same room she had Sasuke get dressed in, in the past.

She walked toward that door and opened it. She was greeted by Ino, Temari, TenTen, and Sakura, who were all dressed in lovely Kimonos. They all greeted in unison, "Welcome dear guest, we are here to assist you in your preparations." They moved aside and all motioned their hands to showcase a beautiful Kimono that had intricate weavings and golden designs. She was practically stunned by her friends and as she walked closer to the kimono she was astounded by the portrait stitching on the hems and sleeves. She also noticed the small rabbits and winds stitching in some pictures. The purple obi was rich in color and extensive in length and weight.

The girls had prepared a bath for her and she sat in an enclosed manmade hot springs. She decided to just play along because he was just paying her back five fold for her hard work last year with the help of her friends because he probably didn't know how to help with her Kimono. That could be the only explanation, she thought to herself even though she didn't want to undress in front of them.

After she was cleaned up, her hair was made and dainty purple pansies ornaments were adorned. They helped her in the Kimono and added a touch of make-up. Finally they put a blind-fold over her eyes. "Is this necessary?" she asked.

Ino replied, "Shall we go to your appointed destination." TenTen held onto her hand because she was used to the warm hands that had always have a way to calm her down. They walked for a while and finally they helped her onto a short staircase and instructed her to stand there until her host arrived to free her from the blindfold. Each woman hugged her before they left. She could hear their giggling disappearing in the distance and feeling the gentle breeze surging past her. She then heard footsteps coming closer and when it stopped behind her, her heart raced and body froze just thinking about what he was about to do. Then she heard, "Welcome to my home shall we begin." She shivered from feeling his breath and hair brushing the nap of her neck.

He slowly untied her blindfold and there before her were a tea ceremonial set. He stood before her in the same Uchiha robes and he then bowed in front of her as if to say that the ceremony is about to begin. She bowed back and they both sat down seiza style in the same palladium that she had performed for him last year. This time around she didn't look nervous like last year instead she did the whole process amazingly flawless. Maybe even more elegant compared to Neji's perfect performance, he thought.

When he was offered the cup, he drank from it and offered it back to her. She took the cup and was about to drink from it but halted because a shiny object was sitting in the cup. She couldn't believe what was happening. She instantly looked toward him for an explanation but was faced by a kneeling on one knee Sasuke who had picked up the object in the bowl. He looked straight into her eyes with a stern determination and said, "You have three options: 1) run away from here so that I could chase you down again 2) be an old maid and regret saying no to me because I will personally kill any man that comes near you. And finally 3) marry me and I promise to make you happy always."

She was still sitting seiza style and staring at the brilliant shiny object until she heard somebody in the background that sounded like Naruto screaming, "Go for it!" She froze from the sight because everyone was witnessing her marriage proposal. She could see Lady Kurenai and Kiba waving at her. TenTen and Neji holding hands and her little nephew running around, they all were smiling at her. Everyone that was at the wedding plus people from the Cultural Center and many more were here. There were also his deceased family name plaques sitting outside in a beautiful display altar.

She whispered, "Aren't we rushing this?"

He whispered back, "It's been a year that I have been thinking about you, don't you think that's a long enough time for me to suffer. Come on, say the words I need to hear and end my suffering."

She meekly and embarrassedly answered while hiding her face on his chest and said softly, "Yes, please."

With that Sasuke placed a simple band that had a single princess cut diamond on her little finger and kissed her softly but quickly because she was still embarrassed from the whole crowd cheering around them.

They both stood up and Sasuke announced the commencement of "The Springs" festivities. Everyone went about enjoying the booths of food and games. Upon the stage were dancing performances to traditional instruments. The lanterns from last year were all hung up.

"What if I had said no," she asked.

"Then I would have to rename this Uchiha family holiday from "The Spring" to the "Rejected Proposal." They both laughed and he dragged her toward the festivities and explained, "This Festival will be celebrated every spring to remind the future Uchihas the union that made the lineage possible to continue again." She turned red and only wanted to hide somewhere from all these attention and people congratulating the newly engaged couple.

They ate and played until evening came. He then made her sit on the first roll in front and instructed her to stay for the entire show that was scheduled to start soon. She nodded in compliance and he left. The girls came and sat with her.

The spotlight came on and there center stage was Hanabi. The music starts and Hinata knows exactly which dance this was. It was a dance performed at every summer celebration for the Hyuga family. She loved this story of the reincarnated bird that went in search for her lover who was still living. But sadly dies by sacrificing herself so that he may continue to live and he recognizes her soul when the bird says farewell in spirit form. Her dance was beautiful and Hinata couldn't stop the tears because as sisters they were never close but she accepted the dance as a gift that symbolizes the strength of their bond linked by blood.

The next performance was a comedy duo of the Shino and Kiba pair. One being the blunt and observant one while the other made puns and was more active and instigated the fuel between the two. There were times were Hinata couldn't hold her laugh anymore and eventually was succumbed to the duo with her awkward chuckling and cuckooing laughter. The routine was a hit and everyone was laughing from the outrageous jokes and puns of the dynamite duo.

Continuing with the show, all the guys dressed in happi coats and shirtless underneath came on stage with all different sized drums. There was one huge one in the back that took two people to play it. The ensemble of percussion was impressive and every one showed the effort they put forth to perfect the disciplined art. Even Neji participated in this production. They orchestrated a powerful percussion performance that had a hint of jazz. Hinata was blushing just being able to see Sasuke's abs and pectorals again.

Lastly Hinata was encouraged to go on stage with all the women to perform the legendary sparrow dance that the girls had been performing since elementary school. The exhilarating dance bought back so much memories and laughter because it was the younger ones who outdid the older ones performance. Hinata couldn't believe that she felt her age in this dance.

Suddenly from above, the sky was lit by the bursting colors of the fireworks. All the music and celebration were quieted and the only sounds heard were the spiraling shooting and exploding sounds from the display in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to behold. From behind someone was wrapping their arms around her shoulders and she could smell his wonderful fragrance of summer.

At the end all the men cleaned up and started the pile for the bonfire. By the time it was lit everyone sat around the blazing centerpiece relaxing with champagne and liquor.

"How did you manage to do all of this?" asked Hinata as she was being led by Sasuke around the compound.

He wickedly flashed her a devious smile and said, "I have people who owe me favors too."

"Are you in gang?"

"Of course not but if it turns you on, then yes." She laughed so hard that she didn't even know that he had already closed the door to his room.

"So how do you like our future home? I made some repairs."

"It's ok," she replied to humor him. She walked around his room and found a small old framed picture of two little kids awkwardly holding hands. Instantly, she looks at him and screamed, "Sasuke Uchiha, you cut my hair!"

"Huh."

She picks up the frame and throws it at him, "You were the one who cut my hair in elementary school."

"We went to the same elementary school?" he asked in disbelief.

She ran toward him and started hitting his chest but was subdued by his kiss. "Then let take full responsibility for my actions." At this point, she was putty in his hands and surrendered compliantly.


	21. Prologue

**Prologue**

Standing in front of the school gates while all the limos came to pick up the preschoolers from the Ebisu Preparatory Elementary School, stood a small stoic and annoyed Sasuke Uchiha dressed in a navy military style school uniform, long brown coat, brown loafers, black backpack, a black cap and winter accessories. He was holding hands with his assigned partner who happened to be a scared, trembling and wished she was somewhere else, Hinata Hyuga dressed in a pleated navy jumper, long sleeve white shirt, long navy coat, black knee highs, black loafers, rounded navy bucket hat, a red backpack and winter accessories.

Behind him was Sakura holding hands with Naruto, she leans forward to talk to him and asked, "Can I come by and hang out with you today, Sasuke?"

Remembering that Itachi was picking him up today, he decided that he would do the fake smile sweet talk to get rid of her quickly before his busybody brother allowed her entry to his house, "My brother and I are shopping for a friend's birthday today so I have to apologize for the inconvenience and ask for a rain check." He flashed his incredible pearly whites and when he saw the heart shape eyes and her soul floating away, he turned back around to roll his eyes exasperatedly.

"You. You are the devil," muttered the little girl holding his hands and face covered by the hat.

"Are you still mad about your hair?" he asked mockingly. Earlier, he had cut her two pony tails because she was too busy starring at the blonde idiot when she was supposed to be helping him with making a temari ball for their art project. He kept waving his hand in front of her and she kept dazedly gazing at the blonde so out of frustration he took his scissors out and cut them off.

He took the ball from her hand and stuffed the two short ponytails into the ball meticulously hiding all the hair from sight under the foam batting and replaced it back into her hands. Amazingly, the entire prank was done without her knowledge. By the time the bell rang he packed up and walked to the next class leaving his partner to be starred at by the rest of the class at her sudden and miraculous hair style.

Suddenly a flash was snapped in front of the two who were next in line. The teacher was known for sending their New Year cards enclosed with their pictures in them during the winter break. "Tsk, people are so annoying," he said exasperatedly to himself while trying to refocus his sight again.

Itachi's yellow Ferrari pulls up and Sasuke quickly releases Hinata's hand and gets in the car's passenger side. Sasuke hates the doors because he could never reach the door to close them. As Itachi was closing the door, he began talking to the little girl that Sasuke just freed. How could anyone talk to her? She can't utter her speech properly, she was always hutching over, and has the words, 'Please abuse me' all over her face. She had no friends and was a quiet and lonely kid who could always be seen fiddling with her fingers. What kind of adult would she be? He thought for a split minute and turned on his Game Boy console and began killing monsters and exploring dungeons.

By the time Itachi returned, he asked "Why are you so mean to her? Personally, I think she's cute." He buckled in his seat and drove off.

"Because she is weak and will never amount to anything." He answered while playing and not once lifting his face. He couldn't believe his brother had said something so vile to him. Urgh!. He hated all girls even if she didn't pester him or goggled at him, she was still a girl! A girl in love with the strange new student in town, that is. Ever since the blonde kid started school here no body would play with him except for his assigned partner that is. She would follow him around and nervously hide whenever the kid was near. He couldn't believe that his scaredy cat of a partner was focusing all her attention on that kid. Strange world, he thought to himself.

Itachi smiled and continued driving. They drove around town to different toy stores trying to find a gift for a little girl's birthday coming soon that Sasuke had to make an appearance at. "So, who is this spoiled rich kid that we are going out of our way to shop for?" asked Sasuke who had been indifferent and apathetic about the entire shopping experience.

"This kid has a lot of responsibilities and duties to uphold because she is the destined heiress of a clan. Unlike you, who gets to play all the time and can shirk off your responsibilities because he thinks that a certain elder brother would shoulder all that for him."

Sasuke sighed from his brother's annoying comments and asked, "How old will she be?"

"If I calculate this right, she should be turning your age." Sasuke was shocked that someone his age would have that much weight on their shoulder and that whoever that was, the kid must be strong. He also hated when his brother preached him too.

Itachi stopped the car at a nearby gas pump and went out to talk to the girl inside the service station while attendants outside were filling up his car and cleaning the vehicle inside out. Sasuke saw a glimpse of what looked like Naruto's hair, and on closer inspection was dead on, the bastard that everyone talks bad about, was riding a bike that had a wagon hitched from behind loaded with miscellaneous items. He realized that he found his opportunity to go run off and escape from Itachi's clutches.

"Hey, blondie. What are you doing?" asked Sasuke to a surprised boy who couldn't believe that someone was talking to him and looked around to see if the other boy was really talking to him.

He finally answers, "I'm teaching my friend how to ride a bike. Wan-na come a-long?" He asked slowly because somebody had noticed him before or wanted to play with him and was afraid that the other kid might run away from him.

"Sure. Why not," he answered while shrugging his shoulders. Sasuke walked with the kid and had his hands in his pockets the whole time. Whenever Naruto tried to talk to him, he just ignored him by whistling. He wished he bought his Game Boy along just in case this adventure turned sour.

They then entered a patchy path and into a clearing where the fence had eroded and the once flat painted tennis court cement were taken over by a nearby root that busted through the corner causing the ground to be wobbly and shattered from years of negligence. He saw a mountain of strange collections erected in the middle and wondered what the kid was doing with this massive load of junk.

Naruto parked his bike and began unloading things like an old TV and a flat ironing board and stuffed them toward the clutter. He then stepped back and inspected his masterpiece and turned toward Sasuke and said proudly, "Check out my awesome ramp!"

So that's what this load of trash was, he thought to himself. He walked around the so called ramp and after a while started taking it apart. Instead of having them all mashed together he made four shorter ramps that might be doable if they were professionals.

Naruto was upset that the other kid had ruined his masterpiece but after seeing how the new setting looked like a park ramp he had to recognize the kid's genius. Then Sasuke picked up Naruto's bike and started riding it around the newly constructed park to pick up some speed and then gung-hoed onwards the adventure park he designed. The first ramp went smoothly but the second one had him flying toward the cement. He was sprawled on the ground and smiling from the amazing heightened adrenaline sensation that just coursed through his body.

He was then met by Naruto and a little girl with short hair holding a stuffed rabbit. Naruto was afraid that the kid was gonna take his anger out on him and lash out but was surprised that the kid just laid there smiling wickedly. "Are you ok?" asked the little winter wear kimono clad girl. He was surprised by her eyes they were beautiful and reminiscent to the color of spring. He had always associated spring with white plum blossoms instead of everyone else's love for the cherry blossoms. He thought the unique shaped leaves were more contrasting with the white rather than the usual pink that was planted everywhere.

The two bystanders helped him up and suddenly, Naruto screamed at him, "I wanna do it too!" So the two boys went at it until they had shed there coats and winter accessories. They challenged the other back and forth until Sasuke recognized the male voice coming near them. Knowing that his stunting days were over, he waved at the two and walked away toward his brother's voice and carrying his coat and stuff. By the time he got through the patchy path, he could hear approaching adults yelling at the blonde for coming near their little princess. It must suck to be him right now, thought Sasuke.

When he reached Itachi, he was surprised that his brother didn't lecture him for the state that he was in. Instead his brother just smiled and said that they might get lucky at the next shop because the female attendant at the gas station recommended this nearby boutique. The store had a huge sign on top in bubble letters font and bubbles jumping about the moniker. The building was painted on with as much different pastel colors as possible and in the store windows were decorated with loads of the same cat in dresses of all sizes.

He was a bit apprehensive to approach this colorful building but once inside he had confirmed that the contents were just as annoying in color and in kitty cats. Pens, stationary, trinkets and stuffed animals were lined up on every inch of the store. Stuffed animals and bags were hung from the ceiling and Sasuke looked at his brother to wish for this punishment to be over at once.

Itachi as usual just smiles and pushes his little brother toward the back of the room. He then asked, "Do you see anything that might be a good gift for the party that you are attending in a couple of days? I won't be here during that time to do a last minute shopping so go on ahead and pick out something nice, ok."

He couldn't believe the amount of cats in this one small building until he walked over to a station that was devoted to a different character. He walked around checking out all the different so called friends of the cat and spotted a strange looking bunny with a cape and hood. The rabbit made him think of the pretty pearlescent eyes that showed some concern for him earlier and the doll that she was carrying. He went over to Itachi and pointed at the huge rabbit sitting above her station of products.

With that the two had the big plushy shiny nylon clothed stuffed bunny wrapped up for the upcoming birthday party.

The next couple of days were boring and filled with long hours of playing with the pottery wheel. His parents had been trying to spend as much time with his brother before Itachi heads back to college. Sasuke stared out the window and was thinking about the fun he had with the blonde kid and couldn't understand why people thought he was tainted or different. He was just a kid with a unique way of seeing the world. He went back to the pottery wheel because later that night he had to attend that stupid rich kid's birthday bash and his parents demanded that he master a certain level amounting to his brother's artistic genius during the winter break.

That night he was dressed in a stuffy black suit and thought that when he gets older he will never wear this stuff again. When he made it to the rented hall at the hotel with his chauffeur carrying the gift wrapped bunny, he smiled to his host who looked agitated about something. He was greeted by an older gentleman and a distinguished older boy dressed in suits. His chauffeur announced their arrival and Sasuke bowed to them and shook the older man's hands.

He entered the hall and quickly separated from his driver who was holding the gift. He walked around looking at the tables of food and towering ice sculptors and thought the whole affair was boring just like his life. White table clothed tables and dressed chairs and a large opening in the middle for dancing. A large orchestra was playing in the corner and a large cake was displayed near the stage.

He then noticed that his wrapped gift was being dragged by a little person entering a door from across the hall. Sasuke looks around to see where his chauffeur went and to check if that was his gift being pilfered right before his eyes. Curiously he follows the thief through the door that led down a hall to some stairs that led upward. He went up the stairs and could hear the person forcing the gift onto the next landing. As he reached the landing, she instantly looked like a frightened doe caught in headlights. She was wearing a white poofy dress with a large lavender sash with a butterfly knot on the back. She drops the gift and was trembling. As if in fear of being attacked she races up the stairs. He couldn't believe her reaction so he followed suit with the gift being dragged in hand.

She enters the next floor's exit door and continues to run down the hallway. He was starting to get peeved that she kept distancing herself from him. He knew he wasn't that ugly for her to act like that. He picked up his pace and with all his remaining strength started a circular motion to get enough momentum and threw the gift in his hands which eventually sent the rabbit airborne and spiraling toward his afflicted prey.

"Hey, why are you so persistent at running away from me?" he asked her while he was towering over the half unconscious girl.

She had that frightened look from earlier and covering her eyes which only sent him into an annoyed state. Slowly she peaked from her hands and saw that he was still there and that's when he saw her eyes and said, "I know you." He helped her up and started to dust her gown but she was embarrassed and motioned him to please stop now.

This girl is so weird, he thought to himself. She picked up the rabbit and was having a difficult time because of the size so Sasuke offered her his assistance and asked her to show him the way to her destination. He decided that if she wanted the gift that bad, he would give it to her and later buy a different gift for the birthday girl.

She walked back to the stairway and led him to a maintenance room. There inside was a makeshift tea set out of the hotel room's coffee mugs and glasses. She took the bunny out of the bag and sat on its lap, looked up at him and motioned for him to sit down before her. She pretended to prepare a tea ceremony and even pretended to get her hands getting burned. Sasuke thought that was the cutest thing ever. She offered him the coffee mug and he didn't want to disrespect his hostess played along with the charades.

Looking closer at the girl, he couldn't understand the familiarity unfolding before him. He could only remember her from that one incident at that strange tennis court arena but somehow he felt like they have known each other for a long time now. By the time they were done playing tea, he offered her a different game. He made her pretend to be Princess Zelda and forced her to climb up the boxes in the room and he would be the hero Link. He went around the room with a plunger slashing his enemies from all directions and making sound effects at the same time.

He then grabs some flower stalks from one of the vases in the corner and jimmy rigged himself a make shift arrow and bow. He started pretending to shoot everywhere even at the little girl. She was clapping every time he announced that he killed or defeated a foe that was terrifying or difficult to beat.

Finally he climbs the stairs as if to claim his prize and as he got closer she was shying away from him. He thought that girls like to be kissed and embraced after being saved from monsters and what nots but she ruined that moment for him. Well that was what he assumed was how it always ended at the end of all the fantasy damsel in distress movies that Itachi was always watching.

He slowly inched toward her and gently pushed away her bangs and placed a kiss on her forehead. When suddenly the foundation of the boxes started to weaken which eventually turned the room into a wreck from a toilet paper landslide. Sasuke crawled out of the soft mess and began searching for his companion. He found her sprawled on her sides with her underwear flashed before him. He blushed while pulling her upright and while leading her down the wreckage. She points at the bunny and he went and retrieved it for her.

Suddenly the doors opened up and the two host from earlier gave the little a menacing look and she followed them away. Sasuke asked the boy following them, "Where is she going?"

The boy with long hair turned around and looked at Sasuke like he couldn't believe someone had touched him, "It's time for the party to begin and she needs to be present for the presentations." With that he walked after the party of people escorting her away.

Sasuke walked back to the party and found Shikamaru and Chouji by a fountain of chocolate displayed with an assortment of fruits and pastries. They greeted each other and looked at the announcement on the stage. That's when he finally realized that the birthday girl was his princess that he just rescued, the girl who was a destined heiress to a clan, the girl assigned to sit by him and partnered at school, the same one that has a crush on the blonde idiot and the same girl with a deep affection for bunnies and beautiful eyes, she was the one that he had cut her hair earlier out of contempt.

A deep blush had crept on his cheeks and he instantly ran out of the party and hotel. He sat in his limo and asked to be brought to the pottery studio in the down town district. He began working on his fifth bowl and knew how he was gonna make up for the hair incident. He worked continuously on to the next day and by night time he had accomplished the impossible. An art reminiscent of his feelings for her; a single white plum blossom had slowly found it way to his lonely and stuffy life. She was like a fresh untainted breath of air that had blown by and brushed against him letting him experience something new.

By the time winter break was over, he went to school with his proud gift but was stunned by the fact that she had pulled out of the school and he never heard or saw her again. He gave the gallery his new art piece and asked to have it sold and taken away from his sight. Slowly as time flew by the memories of the girl was only left in a picture of the two holding hands in front of the school building.


	22. Poem

**A Gentle Breeze**

The last bud of spring

Had finally blossomed

All alone on an old tree

Beautiful but never seen

She ripens and falls

Along comes a wind

Sweeping her away

They drift, dance, and play


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

As Naruto was driving Sasuke home from pacticing this year's drums recital, they both couldn't believe the changes that have been made since the renovations to the compound. She had a way of amazing him all the time, thought Sasuke. She had commissioned a large arch gateway to be erected at the opening to the path with an engraved plaque declaring "Welcome to the Uchiha Burrows." The winter just passed and now the cherry and plum buds were coming out of their long dormant seclusion.

She had planted many and different kinds of vines climbing around the outer walls circling the compound making the exterior walls look reminiscent to an English cottage. She cleared an area on the front and sides for a parking lot for days like their upcoming springs festival. As he walks towards the front doors he couldn't help himself from remembering when he carried her over the threshold. How the couple had come home from their European tour honeymoon and memories of a drunken Hinata being carried at a hospital long ago.

The idiot Naruto was the one that helped plan his wedding and surprisingly was organized and detailed. The wedding was a fall formal traditional Japanese Shito-style private ceremony with the proper parade marching down the stairs of the temple, then driven to the Uchiha compound, and sake offered to her cousin Neji and Naruto, they both played representatives of the doting parents giving their offspring away. The reception was placed at the same Uchiha courtyard where he proposed to her with his ancestors present and they sat seiza style overlooking the whole party while everyone took turns to make a speech. The parting gift was a tea cup with plum blossoms drifting everywhere. The note enclosed stated, "May love rain on all of us."

As Naruto drops off Sasuke and drives off. Naruto couldn't help think about the preparations made for the first springs' festival and Sasuke's proposal plans, were a feat and a challenge right from the start. When Sasuke was making the exclusive tea cup sets, he had Naruto and all the guys come over and help him make the massive order of pottery, which was a mistake from the start since no one present had an ounce of pottery experience besides the ceramic master himself. So Naruto suggested that he and the rest of the boys would be their sponsors and play matchmaker to the greatest proposal announcement ever done in Konoha's history; a proposal that outdid all the married friends in their circle. They both threw ideas back and forth until they agreed on orchestrating a festival in Hinata's honor. For once in Sasuke's life he was surprised that the blonde had helped come up with a brilliant idea.

Naruto's first priority of business as organizer was to meet with Kakashi, the shopping district's president, and discuss a business opportunity for the assistance of the vendors to play a large role in the festival. They butted heads for two weeks until Mr. Kakashi found it profitable for his people and agreed, also in accordance that during his tenure he will continue to have his men setting up games and food vending for their festivals as long as Sasuke footed the bill for resurrecting the booths and booth building supplies.

Mr. Kakashi wouldn't admit that he was very much honored to help the young lady that masterminded the idiot's bogus lottery win and thankful for a gift that she sent to him after Naruto's wedding. It was the manuscript to his favorite author's next novel: a worthy gift to any "Ichi Ichi Paradise"series fanatic.

It was originally a gift to Hinata from Jiraiya for giving his Godson the greatest wedding ever organized. Jiraiya never had the heart to tell Naruto that he was his Godfather and that Naruto's parents died from a car accident long ago. Jaraiya being a bachelor back then didn't know what to do with a kid so he had been raising Naruto from afar and it wasn't until recently that he finally told his Godson about his wonderful deceased parents who loved him very much.

Next on Naruto's agenda to prepare for Sasuke's great proposal was to ask his wife and her girlfriends to commission or buy the most extravagant kimono befitting their friend. The girls traveled far and wide for the fabrics and hired artisans available to create the stunning robe. Each portrait chosen were reminiscent to the four seasons to represent longevity, the deep purple obi was to express the color of royalty and lastly little additions of bunnies to encourage fertility and the wind stitchings to collaborate with the recent teacups. TenTen personally commissioned the purple enameled pansy ornaments that expressed Hinata's bashful and shy personality.

Continuing his grand gesture to his best friend was restoring the compound into an inhabitable environment again. With his resort expertise, he went in with his usual crewman, worked his magic, and even built the extravagant altar display and indoor hot springs. Since he knew that Sasuke loved plum blossoms and he himself preferred cherry blossoms, had the path to the compound dozens of trees planted as a gift from both men but made sure that Sasuke paid the whole bill. While he was there renovating he came across an old picture and found a frame for it and then placed it in Sasuke's room. Thinking that those two kids, had taken too long to get to this point.

The picture brought back so many memories of the first two kids to ever notice his existence. Remembering a sad Sasuke the day after Hinata was pulled from that Elementary school because she was caught hanging out with the likes of him in the old tennis court, made him sad for his new friend and old friend. When he was reunited with her again in Middle school, he stayed clear away from her because he didn't want her family to pull her out of that school. He always thought that it was his fault that she was sent to England for High School, too.

Again when they attended college together he would be careful to not let her guardian notice his presence near his precious cousin. He had always wished her happiness because she had made him very happy in Elementary school by befriending a lonely little boy but when he saw Sasuke's heartbreaking face with the gift for the girl he never thought of her as anything else but as his friend. Then years later she accompanied him on a business trip to survey a new property resort that was a possibility to be a hot springs slash tea house resort, she had confessed to him her long one sided crush for him. He was very much surprised that she felt that way for him but at that moment he had to gently reject her because he was finally accepted and returned by his long one-sided love.

The most ironic part of all was when Sasuke returned home flying in right when they were on their way back to Konoha from the island. He was like a fierce ferocious wind gushing in forcefully to take what originally belonged to him.

The last part as organizer for the festival was the entertainment. He had to call the big guns for this one which was his biggest rival since High School, the owner and CEO of The Sands Entertainment from the neighboring city. He really didn't want to call the two brothers but after finding out from Sasuke that Hinata had hired them when they prepared the DJ for the masquerade, the musical production for the last night on the cruise, and the dancers and musicians for the luau; Naruto ended up calling their assistance.

Somehow Gaara and Kankuro agreed in assisting with the line up for the entertainment during the festival and said that they were both even now. It had something related to an incident long ago where Naruto helped Gaara out with some issues concerning the underground criminal world and getting the red head to turn a new leaf. So, Gaara and his brother taught the boys how to play with the traditional drums by meeting a couple of nights a week just to get the rhythm started. The brothers even supplied the clothes and instruments. Gaara ended up staying at the pottery studio with Sasuke and Naruto for a couple of days and came up an interesting collaborative song to play that was impressive, fun, and jazzy.

Then Kiba and Shino called him and asked to be a part of the finale besides participating in the drums ensemble that was especially from her High School friends. They had back in Middle school did a comedy skit for their class's cultural festival that was a hit and knew that everyone would get a kick from memory lane with their act. The two knowing that this would be a befitting farewell to Hinata's bachelorette days came up with puns and jokes that would make their good friend laughing and rolling on the floor.

Then a week before the anticipated proposal, Hanabi contacted Naruto and wished to be part of the entertainment to honor her sister which he gladly placed her first for the later finale portion of the entertainment.

The orphans were the one that insisted that they have a part in the entertainment when they found out about their special aunt's engagement party. So, they practiced day and night on the sparrow dance to show her that they have been paying attention when she offered them dance lessons on her regular visits. And in exchange for the dance Naruto asked that they have heavy surveillance and security on Uncle Lee and to make sure he was never near any alcoholic products or beveragse that day and if they did well, he would award them with the best vacation ever at one of his resorts of their choice.

When the day of the proposal approached Naruto had replaced the old with a new family plaque hung at the doors to wish the couple good luck and may it bring good fortune to the two who had made him a very happy kid one day long ago. So with that last gift, both parties gave the other the best gift ever as friends.

After Naruto drove off, Sasuke was touching the new plaque and thinking that he is very blessed to have such a wonderful and thoughtful friend who could be aggravating, obnoxious, and strange at times.

He walks through the corridors in search of his wife and could only think of one place and bee lined that way. The compound looked so different from when he had Naruto help renovate it. Hinata had a ladies chambers room and a bower's room added which Sasuke still didn't understand what those were but let his wife do as she pleased as Headmistress of the compound.

She added more gardens and was working on a maze in the back of the compound's empty lot where everyone last year parked to hide from Hinata on the day of her proposal. Her gardens were majestic and grand with ponds and exotic plants and intricate walkways including bridges, arches, benches, and mid-size gazebos. Since Mr. Winter had left, the gardens will return to its grand brilliance again.

Sasuke walked past his art gallery room that was added after Hinata's birthday because all their friends who had purchased his artworks had wrapped it up and sent it on her birthday. They realized after the proposal that the art was very reminiscent of their bashful friend and thought that they should return it to its rightful owner. Hinata was beside herself when she came home from her usual birthday ritual that she happened to share with her husband that day together and found all sizes of crates inside her doorway.

Sasuke could hear swing music from one of his favorite jazz bands playing as he got closer to the room he knew that she would be in. He was grateful that she finally resigned from her job and be his wife full time but she was invited by her division that she was allowed to come back any day to either take her job back, come share her wisdom, or do anything she see fit that needed her attention. She left crying at her farewell party and ended with her saying that she left the division in the best hands possible.

He stood at the doorway watching his wife embroidering while sitting on a rocking chair and relaxing her feet on an ottoman. The room was hard at first for Sasuke to stomach but has finally gotten his eyes to conform the colorful artwork. Hinata had Sai and her girlfriends come over to help paint a mural in the room one day in Februrary after she found out that she was expecting. It was the picture of the white rabbit with a pocket watch running away from a long haired blonde girl in a famous novel.

The room looked similar to the store he had brought a gift for an elementary school girl whom he fell in love with her eyes from long ago but instead of cats were rabbits. On the tall wooden armoire seated his over sized rabbit from their first date and the enormous bunny from their very first tea ceremony. He smiled as he saw her pick up her cell phone to dial because the phone was adorned with his good luck charm from last year's charity baseball tournament that the Rookies took home the trophy. She wasn't allowed to make anymore charms for anyone else but for him only and if they wanted one, they can always ask their wife or partner.

His cell phone suddenly rang and she looked toward him and smiled. He presses the receiver option and asked, "Wanna go watch the sunset?"

She answered on her side, "Yes, please."

**The End**


End file.
